The Oilers have pulled off a significant move, trading away top junior prospect Sam O’Reilly in exchange for NCAA standout and U.S. college hockey player of the year, Isaac Howard. Howard, a skilled offensive forward who declined to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning, is now headed to Edmonton.
Earlier reports suggested that Edmonton thought they had a deal for Howard around the time of the NHL Draft, but talks initially fell through. However, both the Oilers and Lightning have now finalized the swap.
The Edmonton Oilers have acquired forward Isaac Howard from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Sam O’Reilly. Howard has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Oilers. Oilers GM Stan Bowman has been working on this for weeks. Howard was third in NCAA goals last season and led the nation with 1.41 points per game. While O’Reilly is a promising prospect projected as a third-line center, Edmonton gains a high-scoring winger expected to join the NHL in 2025-26.
O’Reilly was my No. 2 Oilers prospect, and Howard slots right into that tier. The best part of this deal? Both players are likely to play in the top 9 on affordable entry-level contracts, potentially as early as this season. While Howard’s offensive game is slightly ahead, O’Reilly projects as a future right-shot NHL center—making the trade a bit of a gamble. That said, Howard fills a need on Edmonton’s wing and is more NHL-ready. My high-end comparison for Howard is JT Miller, but there’s still a lot to prove. This could turn out to be a strong move for the Oilers.