Oilers’ Babcock Willing to Be Patient With Ike Howard

After acquiring him from the Tampa Bay Lightning last summer, fans were excited to be bringing in a young and promising forward who could be able to help their depth scoring.

Babcock Honest, But Patient With Ike Howard

When Babcock was first asked about Howard, fans seemed to believe he was unloading on the forward. However, the honesty from him was a breath of fresh air, compared to last season.

“I think Howie has had a real good camp, I didn’t like him as much tonight.” Babcock stated. He continued, “Let’s not judge him…I could tell when he was walking around that he wasn’t happy, so he knows, so he’ll be better. His work ethic, his determination, his checking back has been way better.”

Babcock’s recent interviews indicate that he is willing to be patient with Howard, who is expected to take on a full-time role with the Oilers this season, and after the Oilers defeated the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 on Tuesday (Sept. 22), Babcock had more positive things to say about the youngster, when asked if he took steps forward.

“Yeah. When you’re used to playing in a different league and you have the puck all the time, and then you get out here and you never get the puck…I think for young guys it can be frustrating.” He continued, “It’s just a growing experience for Howie.”

Howard’s Style Has Fans Excited for 2026-27 Season

Howard, who is 22 years old, won the Hobey Baker Award in the 2024-25 season with Michigan State University, and joined the Oilers’ organization last season for his first campaign at the professional level.

He played 29 games with the Oilers, scoring two goals and adding three assists for five points. With the Condors in the AHL, he scored 24 goals and added 26 assists for 50 points through 47 games.

Howard is a naturally gifted offensive-minded forward, who has the potential to be a staple in the Oilers’ top-six forward group for a long time. The 2026-27 campaign is one that brings excitement, because it could be the true beginning of his long career with the Oilers, but there is also some fear that he could prove to be someone who can never make the jump.

Either way, fans are hopeful, and excited to see what he can do this season.

Howard Likely Plays in Top Six to Start Season

The Oilers have been working with a line of Howard, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Zach Hyman at training camp, and with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl likely loaded up on the first line out of the gates, it is safe to assume that those three will be the second line, rounding out the top-six forward group.

Realistically, Howard has until Matthew Savoie returns from injury to prove he belongs to stay in that role. When Savoie comes back, he likely steps back onto the first line with McDavid, but if Howard is playing extremely well, Babcock will have a tough decision to make.

The nice thing is that all signs point to Babcock being patient with Howard, which is exactly what he needs as he tries to transition into being a full-time NHL player this season.

As the 2026-27 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.