Lightning trade Howard to Oilers for O'Reilly in prospect swap

The Tampa Bay Lightning traded forward prospect Isaac Howard to the Edmonton Oilers for fellow forward prospect Sam O'Reilly, the teams announced Tuesday.

Additionally, the Oilers announced they signed Howard to a three-year, entry-level contract, ending his college career a year early.

Howard won the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA's top player at Michigan State this past season, racking up 26 goals and 26 assists in 37 games. He led the nation with 1.41 points per game. A 5-foot-11 winger with good speed and goal-scoring instincts, the 21-year-old could compete for a spot in Edmonton's opening-night lineup.

He won gold with the United States at the 2024 World Juniors, tying for the tournament lead with seven goals. Howard also won gold with the U.S. at the 2025 World Championship, contributing one assist in four games.

The Lightning drafted Howard 31st overall in 2022. However, the player and the organization reportedly didn't see eye-to-eye and were unable to agree on an entry-level contract. Howard could've walked as an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season had he not signed his ELC.

The Oilers drafted O'Reilly 32nd overall in 2024. The 6-foot-1 right-shooting center tallied 71 points in 62 games with the OHL's London Knights this past season. OHL coaches voted him as the top defensive forward in the Western Conference in 2024-25.