Bakersfield (AHL) lost one of its most reliable defensemen on Wednesday after it was announced that Pittsburgh had signed Phil Kemp to a one-year, two-way contract. The 26-year-old made his only NHL appearance with Edmonton in 2023-24 but has spent the last four years with Bakersfield (AHL), where he had seven goals and 12 points in 56 games in 2024-25. He is expected to report to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) to start 2025-26.

Kemp made his NHL debut 10 days ago when he appeared vs. Montreal and has been a healthy scratch since resulting in the defensemen being loaned back to Bakersfield (AHL) Tuesday. The 24-year-old played a minuscule three shifts and 2:03 TOI in his debut but heads back to Bakersfield where he had five assists, 13 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus in 26 games prior to his call up.

Kemp has spent the last two seasons in the AHL, picking up 21 points (6G / 15A) in 71 games with Bakersfield during the 2023 season. The 2017 seventh-round pick has yet to appear in an NHL game.