One of the biggest novels in the NHL finally reached its end. Isaac Howard, the former first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning, has been traded to the Edmonton Oilers, where he is set for a new beginning. As he joins Connor McDavid and company, the 21-year-old made an honest statement about the move.
After yet another loss in the Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers added a key piece to their offensive puzzle. McDavid is now welcoming a new talent to the lineup, hoping this could be just what Edmonton was missing.
The Oilers consider Howard is NHL-ready and he could immediately play important minutes night in and night out. Fans fantasize about the talented prospect joining McDavid on the forwards’ top line, but the left-winger will have to prove his worth. Nothing will be handed to him, and he wouldn’t want it any other way.
Going to work
Shortly after the high-stakes trade between the Oilers and Bolts went through, Howard voiced a sincere statement, making something clear to McDavid and his new teammates in Canada’s Oil Capital.
Isaac Howard, #31 pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning, poses for a portrait during the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 07, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
“I’m super psyched and its an unreal opportunity. I couldn’t be happier. I met with Edmonton and this was the spot I wanted to go. It checks all my boxes. When I found out, I was super pumped up,” Howard said during his introductory media call. “That’s why I was so excited about this fit… It’s such a high-paced, skilled, fast, work-ethic first team. I think that’s exactly my game.”
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Background
Born and raised in Hudson, Wisconsin, Howard is turning the page to a new chapter in his NHL career after a rocky experience with Tampa. Well—calling it a “career” in Florida might be a stretch. Selected 31st overall by the Lightning in 2022, he never signed his entry-level contract and instead continued playing in the NCAA since being drafted.
After a one-year stay in the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Howard transferred to Michigan State. Once in East Lansing, his production skyrocketed to a whole new level in college hockey. In a two-season stretch, Howard appeared in 73 games, posting 34 goals, 54 assists, for a total of 88 points. Moreover, he won the Hobey Baker Award, given to the best player in the NCAA, for his incredible 52-point tally in the 2024-25 season.
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Now, Howard is embracing a new challenge—joining an NHL franchise in a market like Edmonton’s, with the mounting pressure of McDavid and company coming off back-to-back losses in the Stanley Cup Final. It’s safe to say Howard is in for an atypical rookie year in the league, but that might be exactly what a player with his flair and personality has been looking for.
