Oilers’ Ike Howard, Noah Philp hone their Draisaitl as they make their case for roster spots

This year’s pre-season for the Edmonton Oilers has a different ring to it.

There’s the large looming contract status of Connor McDavid sitting atop every other storyline you’ll hear in the coming two weeks before the regular season kicks off. But as you peel back layers of the metaphorical onion, there are lots of other storylines to follow around this team.

An increased level of competition this year has come to the forefront, with the team signing multiple European free agents who have arrived in Edmonton, determined to make noise.

On Tuesday night, however, it was a player acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning this summer, Ike Howard, and another player vying for a roster spot, Noah Philp, who made the biggest mark in the Oilers’ 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets.

Philp had helped get the scoring started with a beautiful backhand pass to the front of the net, where Quinn Hutson was able to deflect it home, with another Leon Draisaitl-esque pass setting up Ty Emberson for the game-winning goal.

Howard, meanwhile, honed some Draisaitl of his own, showing off his quick release, firing a shot home from the Deutschland Danger’s office on a second-period power play. For him, the goal was a product of himself getting more involved in the game, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said.

“I think he’s getting adjusted fairly well, moving his feet and getting involved in the play a lot more, rather than just sitting back and analyzing plays,” he said. “He was getting a little bit greasy, moving his feet, making some plays, and obviously, with the goal on the power play, you can see he’s a threat to score in situations like that. I like that he’s just pursuing the puck and is just hungry for it.”

Howard will continue to compete with a plethora of wingers for a spot on the second, third, or fourth line, and more performances like Tuesday’s will pay off dividends for him.

When it comes to Philp, Knoblauch was encouraged with his play, complimenting the 27-year-old about “a lot” of things he likes in his game.

“Noah’s a big guy who skates fairly well, and tonight we saw his vision with the two goals he set up, both backhand passes,” Some other plays he made breaking out, finding open ice and making the next play to transport out. There’s a lot of good things I like about Noah, and hopefully he can keep that up.”

Philp will be one of the more important storylines to follow through the remainder of the pre-season, as if the Oilers feel his isn’t ready for an NHL roster spot, they would need to send him through waivers to play for the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.

Given his age, six-foot-three frame and the fact he’s taken steps forward in each year of pro hockey he’s played. More performances like that, where he played 17:17 and went 8-for-15 (53.3 percent) in the faceoff circle, will only help his case.