Edmonton Oilers Trade Sam O'Reilly for Isaac Howard Following NHL Draft

In a surprising move, the Edmonton Oilers have decided to let go of forward Sam O'Reilly, despite his selection in the first round of the 2024 NHL entry draft. Announced late Tuesday, the trade involves bringing in 21-year-old forward Isaac Howard from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for the promising O'Reilly.

Isaac Howard, a native of Hudson, Wisconsin, had an outstanding season at Michigan State during the 2024-25 campaign. Standing five feet eleven inches tall, Howard participated in 37 games, achieving remarkable statistics of 26 goals and 26 assists, totaling 52 points. His impressive performance earned him the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, recognizing him as the top player in NCAA hockey. Additionally, both the Oilers and Howard confirmed his signing of a three-year Entry Level Contract, which will take effect starting in the 2025-26 season.

Howard was originally selected by the Lightning with the 31st overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft and had a successful tenure with the Spartans, accumulating 34 goals and 54 assists in 73 games over two seasons. He also contributed to Team USA's gold medal victory at the 2025 world hockey championship, where he played four games and assisted once.

On the other hand, Sam O'Reilly, a Toronto native, had an impressive season with the London Knights, participating in 62 regular-season games and scoring 28 goals, which led to 71 total points. In the playoffs, he played a pivotal role, seeing action in 17 games where he scored seven goals and accumulated 22 points, assisting the Knights in claiming their second consecutive J. Ross Robertson Cup. O'Reilly's impressive postseason performance saw him rank third among London players in both points and plus-minus rating. Additionally, he helped the Knights earn their third Memorial Cup with a notable contribution of two goals and five points in five games.