Chris Phillips has become a leader in the Bottom Feeders dressing room -- if the number of media interviews asked of him is any indication.

 The third-year Feeders defenceman just might be the most quoted player on the team these days, as reporters are eager to get his opinion on matters concerning the team, or Phillips himself.

 And he hasn't been shy to discuss matters that others would rather pass on, such as the sensitive return of Jason Weimer.

 Indeed, Phillips has turned into the Speaker of the Feeder's house.

 "The good thing about playing in Sacramento," he joked after Saturday's game, "is that I'm getting my foot in the door for a political career."

 Of course, he's also a long way from hanging up the blades at this point.

 In fact, in the first two games Phillips has performed like he's determined to put previous injury-plagued seasons behind him.

 With Patrick Stefan and Sebastien Bourdeleau out of the lineup, Phillips played a personal-high 26 minutes, 49 seconds against Blind River, when he scored the team's first goal of the season and led all Feeders in hits with four.

 He played 22:02 against the Blitz, registering two hits and three blocked shots.

 In attendance were his parents and, for the first time in his NHL career, both of his grandmothers, who made the trip from out west.

 Phillips was eager to meet up with his family after the game - but interview requests had him the last to leave the dressing room.

 "An opportunity has presented itself," said the 22-year-old from Sylvan Lake, Alta. "Guys have to make the most of it. We know when Stefan and Sebastien come back, it's going to cut back on the ice time. We want to plant some seeds, in case it's there again later."

 Phillips, like his teammates, was eager for the break that came with two days off granted by Davey Allison.

 "Camp is pretty uptight," he said. "A lot of guys come in and want to go 40% proving some people wrong or showing they belong.

  "Now that it's over and we're into the season, it's nice to sit back and relax for a couple of days to enjoy it."