Chris Phillips
The steady, durable defenseman who became the unwavering backbone of the Ottawa Senators for a generation, playing more games for the franchise than anyone else.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Canadian ice hockey player and businessman·Birthday: March 9·Generation X
Biography
Chris Phillips's NHL story is one of remarkable consistency and loyalty in a sport defined by roster turnover. Selected first overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 1996 draft, the big defenseman from Fort McMurray, Alberta, was never about flashy stats or end-to-end rushes. Instead, he built an 18-year career—all with Ottawa—on positional soundness, physical strength, and a quiet, professional demeanor. As a classic stay-at-home defender, he was the perfect partner for more offensive-minded blueliners, using his long reach and intelligent stick to shut down opposing forwards. His longevity culminated in him setting the franchise record for games played, a testament to his durability and the organization's faith in his steadying presence. While his name isn't on the Stanley Cup, Phillips was central to the most successful era in Senators history, including a trip to the 2007 Finals. After retirement, he smoothly transitioned into business, co-owning a popular Ottawa restaurant, proving his roots in the community were as solid as his play in the defensive zone.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Chris was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Holds the Ottawa Senators franchise record for most regular-season games played (1,179).
- Was selected first overall by the Senators in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
- Played in 114 playoff games, helping lead the Senators to the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals.
- Played his entire 18-season NHL career with the same franchise, a rare feat in modern sports.
Did You Know?
His jersey number, 4, was retired by the Ottawa Senators in 2020.
He and his wife Erin co-own the popular Ottawa-based restaurant chain 'Big Rig Kitchen + Brewery.'
He scored a rare overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2003 playoffs to eliminate the New Jersey Devils.
He was known by the nickname 'The Big Rig' during his playing days.
“My entire career was with one team; that loyalty means something to me.”
