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Team Canada forward Sam O’Reilly celebrates his power-play goal against Finland with forward Gavin McKenna in the bronze-medal game of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship (Nick Wosika-Imagn Images)

Oilers Should Have Kept Prospect Sam O’Reilly

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Matt Parks | Last updated Jan 29, 2026 1:05 PM ET

The Edmonton Oilers drafted Sam O’Reilly in the first round (32nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, after acquiring the pick from the Philadelphia Flyers. In his draft year, O’Reilly recorded 20 goals and 56 points in 68 games with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He followed that up with 28 goals and 71 points in 62 games, culminating in a Memorial Cup Championship for the Knights.

In the summer of 2025, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for 21-year-old prospect Isaac Howard. Since the trade, O’Reilly has registered 17 goals and 40 points in 37 games between the Knights and the Kitchener Rangers, while also representing Canada at the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship, where he scored four goals and eight points through seven games, helping his country win a bronze medal.

The move made sense for the Oilers at the time. They were trading away a 19-year-old prospect for a 21-year-old prospect who was more NHL-ready. The organization’s main goal during that offseason was to get younger, while also keeping its Stanley Cup window open. They accomplished that by acquiring a player who could play in the NHL this season, while trading a player who is still a few years away.

However, there are still many flaws in Howard’s game, whereas O’Reilly is a more complete player, and he should transition seamlessly to the professional game when the time is right. While the Oilers are in win-now mode, they can still afford to be patient with their prospects.

They traded a future first-round pick to the Flyers to be able to draft O’Reilly, but they have already given up on him. Howard is the better player right now, but will he be in a few years? The Oilers should have kept him and tracked his development.

O’Reilly Is What the Oilers Need

O’Reilly checks many boxes for the Oilers. He’s a right-shot, two-way centre who’s defensively responsible and has a physical element to his game. He’s a shutdown centre who works hard and can also contribute offensively, which is what Edmonton needs. The Oilers have had issues with their bottom six for years, and while O’Reilly wouldn’t address that immediately, having him in the system would solve that problem for the future. He’s the perfect third-line centre, which is exactly what Edmonton needs now.

The 6-foot-1, 183-pound forward is a versatile player, and head coach Kris Knoblauch values that. He can be a net-front presence on the power play and an effective penalty killer. The Oilers’ bottom six is struggling to find its identity, especially with players not playing where they should be and not understanding their assignments. That’s why many free agents haven’t panned out in Oil Country.

Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson were brought in last season to play in the top six. That didn’t work out, so they ended up in the bottom six. Unfortunately, they weren’t versatile enough to adapt to that role. Their play style didn’t mesh with what was asked of them, and both players were scratched from the lineup throughout the playoffs. Players must understand their role and embrace it to be successful. O’Reilly would know his role and be good at it.

Is Howard the Right Fit?

That brings us to Howard. He has more elite skill than O’Reilly, but is that what the Oilers need? His skill set makes him one-dimensional. He has a great shot, but if he’s not scoring, can he impact the game in other ways? He has top-six potential, but will he get that opportunity? If he doesn’t, can he succeed in the bottom six?

His defensive game needs work if he hopes to be successful in Edmonton. Players like Howard need to play with other skilled players who will get them the puck, which won’t happen with this version of the Oilers’ bottom six. If Howard can only be successful playing with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, he won’t last. Hopefully, he can learn to adapt. If he doesn’t, this trade won’t age well for Edmonton.

Will the Oilers regret trading O’Reilly for Howard? Keep following The Hockey Writers for all your NHL content throughout the season.