The Edmonton Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning were involved in an intriguing offseason trade on Tuesday. According to Rogers Sportsnet, the Oilers traded prospect Sam O’Reilly to the Lightning for prospect Isaac Howard.
Why was this trade made now?
The Lightning were unable to come to terms on an entry level contract with Howard in April according to Tyler Kuehl of Daily Faceoff. Due to the nature of the negotiations, Howard decided to play one more season at Michigan State. However, since the trade was made the Oilers have signed Howard to a three-year entry level contract, and it is expected he will be in an Oilers uniform come October. Howard will now be part of an Oilers team that has reached the Stanley Cup Finals the last two years, and are trying their best to get over the hump against the other NHL team based out of Florida, the Florida Panthers.
You could make the argument that the window for the Oilers to win is closing. They are in a win mode now, and Howard is more NHL ready than O’Reilly is, who may need an extra year to develop in the American Hockey League.
Former First Round Picks
Howard was the Lightning’s first round pick, 31st overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. O’Reilly was the Oilers’s first round pick, 32nd overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Hobey Baker Award winner
Howard, a native of Hudson, Wisconsin, has played the last two seasons at Michigan State University. After averaging a point per game in 2023-24 (36 points in 36 games), he averaged more than a point per game in 2024-25. Howard in fact had 26 goals and 26 assists for 52 points in 37 games, and won the 2025 Hobey Baker Award. The two seasons at Michigan State came one year after playing at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Howard is the third player from Michigan State to win the Hobey Baker Award. He follows centre Kip Miller of Lansing, Michigan, who won the award in 1990, and NHL All-Star and Vezina Trophy winner Ryan Miller of East Lansing, Michigan, who won the Hobey Baker Award in 2001.
International Success
Howard won the gold medal for the United States at the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden (seven goals and two assists for nine points in seven games). He was also part of the American team that won the gold medal at the 2025 World Men’s Hockey Championship in Sweden.
Sam O’Reilly
This past season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, O’Reilly had 28 goals and 43 assists for 71 points. The right winger from Toronto, Ontario won a Memorial Cup with London in 2025.
