The Edmonton Oilers will soon have to make some uncomfortable decisions with their roster. Edmonton previously started the season with several players sidelined due to injuries. Despite this, the club has gotten off to a hot start under new head coach Mike Babcock. The Oilers have won seven of their first nine games of the campaign.
Some of these injured players, however, are now slowly returning to the fray. As a result, general manager Stan Bowman has to make corresponding moves. These roster moves will likely involve Isaac Howard and Trent Frederic. The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell believes Howard will be demoted to the AHL. The former first-round pick has just two points (both assists) in nine games with Edmonton this season. Frederic is expected to lose playing time as well.
As Mitchell points out, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is set to return to the lineup on October 22 to face the Carolina Hurricanes. The veteran has missed the start of the current campaign due to a lower-body injury. When healthy, he has proved to be a key asset to the Edmonton Oilers. The forward surpassed 100 points in the 2022-23 season.
Nugent-Hopkins is not the only Oilers forward expected back soon. Matt Savoie remains out, but will return to Babcock’s lineup in the next few weeks. Center Jason Dickinson is also not likely to be out of action for too much longer. He previously suffered a seemingly minor ankle injury during a recent practice. All of this is good news for Edmonton, but not necessarily for Howard and Frederic.
Isaac Howard is Receiving Limited Playing Time With the Edmonton Oilers
Bowman previously acquired Howard in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning. At the time, the Edmonton Oilers had high hopes for the budding star. Despite this, the young forward did not exactly grab the bull by the horns in his first stint in Edmonton. In fact, he recorded just five points in 29 games with the Oilers a year ago. He also did not appear in any of his team’s playoff games in the spring.
Howard’s offensive production has, however, been hindered by his lack of playing time. The 22-year-old forward has averaged just 9:33 minutes on the ice this season. This particular figure is the lowest average of any Edmonton player currently on the roster. Sending the budding star back to the AHL would give him more playing time. Nevertheless, Bowman and the Oilers could also look to trade him.
The Edmonton Oilers youngster has been linked with a potential trade in recent months. This speculation was fueled when The Athletic specifically named Howard as his team’s top trade candidate on October 17. Finding a trade partner may be the best outcome for all involved parties.
Edmonton Likely to Bench Frederic Soon
On top of figuring out what to do with Howard, the Edmonton Oilers could soon have a difficult decision regarding Frederic. According to Mitchell’s new projections, the veteran is expected to be a regular healthy scratch by Babcock. The forward previously signed an eight-year, $30.8 million deal ($3.85 million AAV). Benching a player on such a significant contract is far from ideal.
Oilers Expected to Demote Forward, Bench $30 Million Star