Isaac Howard scored a beauty, Quinn Hutson makes an impact, and Jonathan Toews makes NHL return

For the next stop in their never-ending pre-season, the Edmonton Oilers took the long bus ride to Winnipeg to face off against the Manitoba Moose Jets. But instead of writing another boring recap of what happened, I’m looking at a pair of fine performances by Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson as the two youngsters found a way to make an impact.

ISAAC HOWARD HAS A HELL OF A SHOT

There aren’t many things about a pre-season game that get me excited anymore, but finding out what the Oilers have in Isaac Howard is certainly one of them. And the Ice Man gave fans exactly what they tuned in for on Tuesday night when he ripped a one-timer home late in the second period against the Jets. With the boys on the power play, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins fed a gorgeous cross-ice seamer his way, and Howard hammed it over Eric Comrie’s shoulder for a clean finish. It was the kind of shot that made noise at Minnesota-Duluth and ultimately earned him the Hobey Baker Award last season, and seeing him do it against an NHL goaltender made the goal seem a little bigger.

Honestly, I almost didn’t need to watch the rest of the game after that because seeing the kid rip it like that was the moment I showed up for, and it absolutely delivered. That said, I need to remind myself to chill out a bit when it comes to expectations for him. There’s no question the talent is there — he’s got the release, the confidence, and the swagger you love to see in a young player — but it’s also a massive jump from the NCAA to producing at the NHL level every night. I’m super excited about what’s to come for him, don’t get me wrong, but I want to stay realistic about the bumps that are certain to come along the way. For now, seeing that shot translate against some sort of NHL competition and appreciating what a fun player the Oilers have on their hands.

QUINN HUTSON VYING FOR THE TY RATTIE AWARD

I know Lane Hutson deservedly gets a lot of love in the hockey world, but I also wanted to give some love to his brother Quinn for what he’s done through the first weeks of rookie + training camp. Hutson kept his fine start to campaign rolling on Tuesday night against the Jets, and I’ve got to say, it was nice to see his continued willingness to get to the front of the net be rewarded with a goal. Hutson opened the scoring in the second period with a nifty little deflection from right in Eric Comrie’s kitchen, the kind of goal that doesn’t show up on highlight reels but matters a lot when you’re trying to stick out. Getting to the front of the net may not be the prettiest thing you can do, but it’s a pretty solid strategy if you’re looking to score. After piling up 23 goals and 27 assists in 38 games at Boston University last year, you can see the confidence in his game carrying over into camp.

Hutson has been noticeable through rookie camp and the pre-season from my side of the laptop screen, and getting his name on the scoresheet against NHL-lite competition only adds to the noise he’s making for himself. What I notice about Hutson is how true this goal was to his style that I’ve been reading about. He’s not a guy who hangs onto the puck for long stretches. Instead, he finds soft spots, gets his stick available, and makes plays happen quickly. That’s exactly what he showed last night. At BU, he was leaned on in key spots and proved he could drive offence, and it feels like that knack for creating offence has followed him here. I don’t expect him to crack the big club this season, but every time he chips in like this, it’s another reminder that the skillset is real. For now, it’s just nice to see him making an impact and showing he belongs.

WELCOME BACK, JONATHAN TOEWS

How cool was it to see Jonathan Toews back on the ice? If we ignore for a minute how insane it was to see him in another jersey after all those years in Chicago, it was pretty cool to see him back on the ice. After everything he’s been through, I honestly didn’t think we’d ever see him play in the NHL again, so seeing him suit up for the Jets was a pretty cool sports moment. I don’t know what kind of player he’ll be this season or how much gas is left in the tank, but that didn’t matter much on what must have been an emotional night for Captain Serious.

The guy last played on April 13, 2023, and has been battling immune system issues for two years, so just making it back is a huge win. Toews started the game on a line with Perfetti and Nyquist, and who knows how long that trio will be together when showtime lands for real, but for me, I was just happy to see Toews get a chance to go out on his own terms. I’m pulling for the guy and hope he has a great season in Winnipeg… just not when he’s playing against the Oilers. Welcome back, sir.