Breaking NHL Trade: Oilers Acquire Isaac Howard From Lightning

Big trade news on Tuesday night, as the Edmonton Oilers have acquired Hobey Baker Award winner Isaac Howard from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨

The #Oilers have acquired forward Isaac Howard from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Sam O'Reilly. We have also signed Howard to a three-year entry-level contract. pic.twitter.com/k3UHkpv6Ik
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 9, 2025

In return, forward Sam O'Reilly heads to the Bolts. As part of the deal, the Oilers have also signed Howard to a three-year entry-level contract.

Howard made headlines this spring when he declined to sign with the Lightning, and the two sides had sparring over his future. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent if not signed to an NHL contract by August of next summer.

He was Tampa's first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft (31st overall). Howard was named the Hobey Baker winner as the top player in U.S. college hockey this year, after posting 26 goals and 52 points in 37 games with Michigan State University. He led the NCAA in points per game, with 1.41.

But there was a falling out between the two sides in terms of what Howard's role would be had he signed with Tampa ahead of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Essentially, the Lightning couldn't guarantee him the playing time and role that Howard felt he was worthy of.

In April, he said he was ready to return to MSU for next season, which turned out to be a bargaining chip to get him moved to a team he was happy to be with. The Oilers obviously feel, unlike the Bolts, that Howard is ready for a full-time NHL role. That will now come in October in Oil Town.

Stan Bowman the @EdmontonOilers GM has been working on this trade for weeks.
Isaac Howard finished 3rd in NCAA goals last season, and led the Nation in P/PG (1.41).
Oilers move a solid prospect in O’Reilly who projected as a 3C for a scoring winger who will be in EDM in ‘25-‘26 https://t.co/1ZYUB4ML4e
— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) July 9, 2025

As noted by Oilers insider Bob Stauffer, this is a trade that has been worked on for some time.

O'Reilly, who heads to Tampa, is a solid prospect himself, as the 19-year-old has helped lead the London Knights to back-to-back OHL titles. He was the Oilers first-rounder (32nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft.

He had 71 points in 62 games with London this past season, with a spectacular +56 rating. Stauffer notes that he was projected as a third-line center in the NHL.