Philippe Myers Bio
Philippe Myers is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League. Born on January 25, 1997, in Moncton, New Brunswick, Myers began his professional career in 2017 and has since suited up for the Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators, and Tampa Bay Lightning. Despite going undrafted, he made his NHL debut in 2019 and has represented Canada internationally, earning silver medals at both the World Junior Championships and the World Championships. Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing roughly 209 pounds, Myers is recognized around the league for combining size with mobility from the back end.
Known for his right-handed shot and two-way tendencies, Myers has carved out a career as a steady, if sometimes streaky, depth defenceman. His path from undrafted junior prospect to multi-team NHL veteran reflects the perseverance required to survive in professional hockey without the safety net of a draft selection.
Early Life and Background
Philippe Myers was born on January 25, 1997, in Moncton, New Brunswick, and raised in nearby Dieppe. He is the only child of Dave Myers and Suzanne Myers, and relied on his family for motivation as he pursued his hockey dreams. His father is English-speaking while his mother is bilingual, and the family chose to send him to a Francophone school, an environment in which he became comfortable in both French and English.
As an adolescent, Myers played minor ice hockey with the Moncton Flyers midget AAA league, where his height and skating ability began to attract attention. Growing up in a bilingual, sports-focused household gave him a strong foundation, and his parents’ steady support helped him navigate the early pressures of competitive hockey. That upbringing shaped the work ethic he would later carry into junior and professional ranks.
Path to Professional Hockey
Myers’s path to the professional ranks began in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies selected him in the fourth round, 58th overall, of the 2013 QMJHL entry draft. He developed steadily with the Huskies, and his combination of size, mobility, and offensive instincts from the blue line quickly caught the eye of NHL scouts. By the time his junior career was winding down, evaluators viewed him as a player who would have been a first-round selection in his draft year if he had remained eligible.
Because of that projection, the Philadelphia Flyers signed Myers as an undrafted free agent on September 21, 2015, rather than risk losing him in the draft. The decision paid off, as his stellar play during the 2015–16 season only reinforced the scouts’ original assessments. Myers continued to refine his game in the minors before earning his first NHL opportunity in February 2019.
Philippe Myers Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
After being signed by Philadelphia, Myers spent time developing in the minors while adjusting to the professional game. He made his NHL debut on February 17, 2019, in a game against the Detroit Red Wings, and scored his first career goal on March 6, 2019, against the Washington Capitals. Those early appearances provided a glimpse of the offensive tools and poise that had made him such a coveted prospect.
That summer also marked his full international arrival. Recalled to Team Canada at the 2019 World Championships as an injury replacement for Brandon Montour, Myers helped Canada advance to the gold-medal game before the team fell to Finland and settled for silver. He finished the tournament with one assist in seven games, further validating his growing reputation.
Philadelphia Flyers Breakthrough (2019–2021)
Although he was one of the Flyers’ final roster cuts heading into the 2019–20 season, Myers was recalled on October 31 to provide a spark to a team that had lost two consecutive games by a combined 12–4 margin. He quickly became a fixture in the lineup, forming part of a three-man defensive platoon with Robert Hägg and occasionally Shayne Gostisbehere. By the end of January 2020, he was tied with Carson Soucy of the Minnesota Wild for the best plus-minus among NHL rookies at plus-16.
Paired with Travis Sanheim, Myers finished the regular season with four goals and 16 points in 50 games before the campaign was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He had also fractured his right patella blocking a shot from Jack Eichel, but recovered in time for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, where he appeared in all 16 games. He contributed three goals and four points, including the overtime game-winning goal in Game 2 against the New York Islanders, before Philadelphia was eliminated. On December 8, 2020, the Flyers rewarded his play with a three-year contract extension carrying an average annual value of $2.55 million.
Nashville Predators Era (2021–2022)
The 2020–21 season proved more difficult for Myers. After Matt Niskanen’s sudden retirement thrust him onto the top pairing alongside Ivan Provorov, a fractured rib suffered just four games into the year while colliding with Jake McCabe limited his impact. He struggled to recapture his previous form, and through 44 games he recorded just one goal and 10 assists with a minus-12 rating.
On July 17, 2021, the Flyers traded Myers and Nolan Patrick to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Ryan Ellis. While Patrick was immediately flipped to the Vegas Golden Knights, Myers remained part of Nashville’s larger roster revamp. His ice time, however, was scarce, as he appeared in only three of the team’s first 11 games of the 2021–22 season. On March 21, 2022, he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a deal for future considerations, and was subsequently loaned to the Toronto Marlies.
Tampa Bay Lightning Era (2022–2024)
Following his brief and challenging stint in Nashville, Myers was traded on July 3, 2022, to the Tampa Bay Lightning along with Grant Mismash in exchange for Ryan McDonagh. The Lightning, a perennial Stanley Cup contender, offered him a chance to reset his career in a winning environment. On August 26, 2022, his contract was extended by one year at $1.4 million, signalling the organization’s belief in his upside.
Toronto Maple Leafs Era (2024–Present)
As a free agent from Tampa Bay, Myers signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 2, 2024. He made his Maple Leafs debut on October 26, 2024, looking to provide veteran depth and a right-handed presence on the Toronto blue line. The signing represented an opportunity to stabilize his NHL career and contribute to a team with consistent postseason ambitions.
Driving Style and Strengths
Myers plays a mobile, two-way style from the back end, using his 6-foot-5 frame to win board battles and clear shooting lanes. Coaches have leaned on his right-handed shot to balance defensive pairings, and his ability to log power-play minutes at lower levels has remained a valuable tool. Pairings with mobile partners such as Travis Sanheim in Philadelphia highlighted how his straight-line skating and reach can be deployed effectively when confidence is high.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Myers’s career are his overtime game-winning goal against the New York Islanders in the 2020 playoffs, his first NHL goal against the Washington Capitals in March 2019, and his back-to-back silver medals with Canada at the 2017 World Junior Championships and 2019 World Championships. Being signed as an undrafted free agent by the Flyers and later inking a three-year, $2.55 million extension stand as meaningful markers of a journey that defied typical expectations.
Philippe Myers International Play
Myers first represented Canada on the international stage at the 2017 World Junior Championships, held in Montreal and Toronto. He registered three assists in four games as Canada claimed the silver medal as the host nation, losing the final to the United States. An injury sustained against Minnesota Wild prospect Luke Kunin cut his tournament short, but the medal nevertheless foreshadowed his future on the world stage.
Two years later, Myers was a late inclusion to Team Canada at the 2019 World Championships in Slovakia, joining the squad as an injury replacement for Brandon Montour. He made his full international debut in a 5–2 victory over France on May 16, 2019, and helped Canada reach the gold-medal game before losing to Finland and earning a second silver medal. He finished the tournament with one assist in seven games.
Philippe Myers Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Myers is the only child of Dave Myers and Suzanne Myers, and he has often credited his parents as his primary source of motivation throughout his hockey journey. The family supported his development from minor hockey in Moncton through to the professional ranks, providing a stable foundation as he navigated the demands of junior and NHL schedules.
Personal Life
Outside of hockey, Myers is a self-taught pianist who prefers to learn music by ear from watching YouTube videos rather than reading sheet music. His bilingual upbringing in a Francophone school also left him fluent in both French and English, a skill that has eased transitions throughout his journeyman NHL career.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marks Myers’s first full campaign in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization after being signed as a free agent in July 2024. Having debuted for Toronto on October 26, 2024, he entered the year looking to solidify a depth role on the right side of the Maple Leafs’ defence and contribute to a team firmly in the Stanley Cup contender conversation.
With the Leafs continuing to chase postseason success, Myers’s blend of size, right-handed shot, and penalty-killing experience offered head coach Sheldon Keefe valuable lineup flexibility. His familiarity with Eastern Conference opponents from prior stints in Philadelphia, Nashville, and Tampa Bay positioned him as a steady third-pairing option capable of stepping up when injuries arose.
Looking ahead, Myers will aim to remain a reliable contributor on the blue line while extending his career longevity in Toronto. A strong showing in 2025 could open the door to a longer-term contract and further cement his standing as a dependable, undrafted success story within the Maple Leafs’ defensive corps.