The Edmonton Oilers' rookies lost both rookie games this weekend to the Calgary Flames, and there were some key takeaways from the matchups.
While Matt Savoie looked especially impactful, another key rookie for the Oilers might take more time to get adjusted than initially hoped.
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In Friday’s rookie exhibition at Rogers Place, the Edmonton Oilers fell 6-5 to the Calgary Flames in a high-paced prospect matchup. While Savoie and Connor Clattenburg made their presence felt—Savoie scoring twice, Clattenburg adding a goal and engaging in two fights—Isaac Howard struggled to leave a mark in his first taste of professional-level play.
In the second game, as the Oilers lost 5-4, Howard was left off the scoresheet.
The 21-year-old left wing, acquired from Tampa Bay in the Sam O’Reilly trade, skated on the top line but failed to generate significant scoring chances.
Howard, the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner, expressed his desire to make a smooth transition to the NHL. “I just wanna make a seamless jump to the NHL… be effective offensively, be good in my own end,” he said. So far, there are questions about how quickly he'll be able to make that jump.
"Ike Howard came out with a shooting mentality and came close to scoring two or three times. Howard did not break out in this two-game series, but he showed the ability repeatedly to execute fine passes and sharp shots under pressure. He had a few defensive mistakes, including being late to the shooter on Calgary’s third goal, but he showed himself as a strong combination player, working well with Savoie at times."-
While his debut didn’t dazzle, he showed promise as a capable combination player, particularly in tandem with Savoie.
The Oilers likely aren't panicking.
Like any bet on a young player and a rookie where expectations are high, time needs to be given to adjust. Two games are hardly enough of a sample size to decide on whether the player will sink or swim in the upcoming season.
The Oilers' main site writes, "The Oilers prospects will hold practice on Monday before many of their attentions turn to next week's Main Camp, where they'll compete for NHL roster spots before being assigned to their respective AHL, ECHL and junior hockey clubs for the upcoming 2025-26 season." For Howard, he's going to get a long look before the Oilers deem that he needs more time.
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