Oilers Still Reportedly Working On Acquiring Lightning Top Prospect
The Edmonton Oilers are looking to get younger and by the moves that were made over the last two days, it has gone mostly according to plan it seems. Stan Bowman didn’t overpay on the first day of free agency and let the dust settle a bit before bringing in Andrew Mangiapane, while it appears like Matthew Savoie and Noah Philp are also going to get much larger looks in the NHL next season.
There have been ongoing discussions between the Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning regarding Isaac Howard, a top prospect not yet in the NHL. He is going back to school if he remains with the Lightning and the team is going to lose him if so. Trading him is the only option as there is no room in their lineup. Where there is room is in Edmonton who is trying to sustain a great group that will repeatedly compete.
As reported on 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast, “Talks are ongoing and the Oilers will try again today and over the coming days to make a trade. The Oilers have created a great list of young players who they think can help them in the future that maybe aren’t going to stay or get an opportunity with their current team and they will chip away at adding more youthful players in the organization. Expect movement on that front during this offseason. Isaac Howard was at the top of this list.”
Howard had 26 goals and 52 points in 37 games last season for Michigan State University in the NCAA. That should immediately translate over to scoring at the NHL level. The Oilers have long been looking for the right wingers for Leon Draisaitl, and with Savoie and Howard, Edmonton will very likely have found that for a long time.
