The Edmonton Oilers might have just changed their organization forever in a trade announced late Tuesday night. The Oilers have traded last year’s first round pick, Sam O’Reilly, to the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner, Isaac “Ike” Howard.
Howard was selected in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft at the age of 18. After being selected by the Lightning, the teenaged talent played three seasons in the NCAA. His last of which he was the recipient of the Hobey Baker award, given to the best player in collegiate hockey.
The award has been given since 1981 and has a long list of noteworthy recipients, players like Cale Makar, Johnny Gaudreau, Jack Eichel, the list goes on.
Despite bringing home the sport’s most coveted award, the now 21-year-old forward was planning on returning to college hockey for one more season. It is for this reason that the Lightning were forced to deal the prospect.
“If Howard returned to school and remained unsigned, he would have been a pending unrestricted free agent in August 2026,” wrote ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark. “That also would have left the Lightning losing a top prospect for nothing.”
Instead the Lightning receive a point per game scorer for the OHL’s London Knights, Sam O’Reilly.
Ike Howard Forgoes His Final Season Of NCAA Eligibility
It appears as though Ike Howard just used the threat of returning to the Michigan State Spartans as the catalyst in forcing a trade out of Tampa Bay’s system. It is unclear why the young player would want out on the Lightning, but by signing a three-year entry level contract with the Oilers, his final season of eligibility has been forgone.
Last season Howard scored 26 goals and assisted on 26 more in just 37 games. A massive jump from the year prior when he posted an eight goal season with 18 assists as a sophomore.
Signing an entry level contract at 21-years-old implies that the Oilers are expecting contributions from Howard sooner rather than later.
“Winning the Hobey Baker award as the nation’s top men’s player only added to what made Howard such an attractive prospect,” Clark continued. “Another was having a young forward like Howard would provide an organization that’s currently in a championship window with a top-nine forward on a team-friendly deal.”
Giving Up The Younger Sam O’Reilly
At just 19-years-old, Sam O’Reilly skated in all 62 OHL games this season. He scored 28 goals and recorded 43 assists in the legendary developmental league. He added 22 more points on seven goals in 17 post season games as his London Knights took home their second consecutive OHL championship cup.
“O’Reilly might not be as potent offensively as Howard, but what Howard lacks defensively and physically, O’Reilly excels,” The Hockey News’ Julia Gaudio writes. “Although Howard is NHL-ready and O’Reilly is likely two years away, O’Reilly’s best traits might translate to the NHL better than Howard’s, and he fills a role that’s hard to find, a two-way middle-six center.”
With the potency of both prospects, this incredibly exciting deal carries the weight of possibly defining an era of hockey for both teams involved.
Oilers Trade Last Year’s First Round Pick For Hobey Baker Award Winner In Prospect swap