Oilers and Lightning Link Up for Prospect Trade

The deal comes a week after the first day of NHL free agency, where both Edmonton and Tampa Bay weren’t among the aggressors in signing players who were hitting the open market. So it’s safe to say that this move is a needle mover for each team, especially Edmonton. Though Howard’s second season at MSU was cut short due to a disappointing Round 1 loss to Cornell in the NCAA Tournament, Howard’s season was impressive nonetheless.

Along with finishing fifth in NCAA scoring with 52 points, which was the highest point total of any Spartan by 21 points, Howard took home this year’s Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s MVP, per EliteProspects.com.

The Hudson, Wisconsin, native’s speed and puck-handling fueled his offensive dominance and helped propel MSU to a No. 2 Division I seed. Now the Oilers are hoping that skill and hardware will be put to good use, as just after the deal was made official, Edmonton signed Howard to his three-year, entry-level contract. A little odd, considering the history that Howard leaves behind in Tampa Bay, as he was reluctant to start his pro career in Tampa, opting to keep his collegiate career alive. So, with Howard already agreeing to terms with Edmonton, it has to make you wonder how much vision and opportunity Howard lacked in Tampa Bay to make his pro-level transition.

After going over Howard’s college resume, it’s easy to declare him the more talented player in this trade, but if there’s one thing Howard lacks in comparison to O’Reilly, it’s a winning pedigree. O’Reilly is coming off a Memorial Cup win and back-to-back OHL championships with the Knights, where his 22 points in 17 playoff games were good for third in Knights scoring, in a regular season that saw him tally 71 points in 62 games for third in team scoring. It’s production from a player whose skillset isn’t just known for its offensive production, because behind London’s electrifying offensive players like Denver Barkey and Easton Cowan, lies O’Reilly’s two-hundred-foot game.

A deal such as this one shouldn’t be graded so quickly, because these are two prospects that have yet to have their lone rookie NHL warmup laps. Although Howard’s game-breaking skill in college can sway this trade grade, O’Reilly’s two years of youth on Howard and his complete game could help the Lightning return to the later rounds of playoff hockey.