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Isaac Howard, Michigan State University (MSU Athletic Communications)

Grading the Edmonton Oilers’ Trade for Isaac Howard

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jesse Courville-Lynch | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 8:55 AM ET

The Edmonton Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning swung a prospect swap on Tuesday (Jul. 8) evening, when the Oilers acquired forward Isaac Howard in exchange for forward Sam O’Reilly. Howard had been involved in trade rumours for weeks after it was revealed he may not be interested in signing a contract with the Lightning, and the Oilers got connected to him almost immediately.

After tons of speculation, they finally swung a deal, and Howard signed a three-year, entry-level deal with the Oilers. In this article, let’s take a quick look at some trade grades for both teams and talk about how well each team did in this deal.

Edmonton Oilers: A

The Oilers are taking a risk on Howard, and some fans questioned the choice to move O’Reilly, but they are bringing in a future stud in Howard. The Hobey Baker Award, which is awarded to the NCAA’s top player, was won by Howard last season, placing even more hype behind him as a potential star when he makes the jump to the NHL.

His offensive dominance is close to unmatched, and his natural gift to be able to create offensive opportunities for himself and his teammates is special to watch. Over the past two seasons, he has scored 34 goals and added 54 assists for 88 points through 73 games with Michigan State University in the NCAA. He was drafted by the Lightning in the first round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft at 31st overall, and it seems likely he gets his first taste of professional hockey next season.

He likely starts his stint with the Oilers as a bottom-six forward, but if he looks confident and skates well at the NHL level, there is no reason he couldn’t get a look on the top line alongside Connor McDavid next season.

Tampa Bay Lightning: A

Yes, this is an even trade for both teams. As a fan of the Oilers, it’s exciting to see a player like Howard, who can join the team and help them win both now and in the future, come to the team as a promising prospect and see what he turns into. However, it’s hard to argue that they came out on top in this trade. The Lightning were dealing with a prospect who didn’t want to play for them, so to be able to get a prospect in return who was drafted in the first round as well, it ends up looking like a strong deal for both sides.

O’Reilly, who is 19 years old, was drafted in the first round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft at 32nd overall after a strong showing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the London Knights, where he scored 20 goals and added 36 assists for 56 points through 68 games. Last season with the Knights, he scored 28 goals and added 43 assists for 71 points through 62 games. He is a solid two-way power forward who is likely to get a chance in the NHL at some point down the line, but he is still a few seasons away from earning a shot at the professional level.

His gritty style of play should earn him a real shot at becoming a mainstay at the NHL level down the line, but both O’Reilly and Howard are unproven. For the Oilers, they bring in a young player who can help them win now. For the Lightning, they move a player who didn’t want to play for them in exchange for someone they can be patient with, as they allow him to continue developing while they try to contend for a Stanley Cup.

It’s impossible to say who won this trade right now, but as of this moment, it is an even trade where both teams benefit from it.

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