EDMONTON - Well, wouldn't you look at that. 

The Edmonton Oilers have made a big move on Tuesday night. 

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In a deal that has been simmering for a while, the Oilers finally traded for Tampa Bay Lightning forward prospect Isaac Howard.

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Howard's ELC with the Oilers is a three-year deal. Here is how the money breaks down:

Year 1: $855,000 Base Salary, $95,000 Signing Bonus, $250,000 Performance Bonuses

Year 2: $855,000 Base Salary, $95,000 Signing Bonus, $750,000 Performance Bonuses

Year 3: $855,000 Base Salary, $95,000 Signing Bonus, $1,000,000 Performance Bonuses

The Oilers have sent center prospect Sam O'Reilly to the Lightning to acquire Howard. Many hockey pundits have believed that O'Reilly would be a contributing member of the Oilers moving forward.

Things have changed.

The biggest difference between Howard and O'Reilly is how ready each of them are to play in the NHL. O'Reilly is a few years away, but Howard can step into the Oilers lineup today.

On the surface, this deal appears to be an exchange of the future for the present. There is nothing wrong with that mentality when you are chasing a Stanley Cup.

In August 2022, I wrote about Howard after watching five of his games intensely. Here are some observations:

-Howard plays with pace and speed. He is always moving his feet to find open lanes.

-He's a player who oozes confidence. 

-Howard has skill for days. His stick-handling is fantastic, and his shot is impressive.

This is the kind of young player that the Oilers need in their lineup. The additions of Matt Savoie, Andrew Mangiapane, and now Howard make the Oilers a faster team, while also making them harder to play against.

Howard was the 2025 Hobey Baker Award Winner. This award is handed out to the top player in the NCAA. However, it's not an easy award to win.

There are four criteria that candidates have to adhere to in order to be considered. They are:

-A strong sense of character on the ice and away from the rink.

-Outstanding skill and someone who contributes to the integrity of the team.

-Sportsmanship and achievement in school.

-Compliance with NCAA rules, which includes being a full-time student

NCAA head coaches across the USA nominate the three top players in their league, and in the country. The votes are added up and the 10 with the most votes are announced. Then the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Selection Committee vote for the top three players based off the list of 10. They add up the votes again to select a winner.

Macklin Celebrini (2024)

Adam Fantilli (2023)

Dryden McKay (2022)

Cole Caufield (2021)

Scott Perunovich (2020)

Cale Makar (2019)

Adam Gaudette (2018)

Will Butcher (2017)

Jimmy Vesey (2016)

Jack Eichel (2015)

Johnny Gaudreau (2014)

Drew LeBlanc (2013)

Jack Connolly (2012)

See the rest of the winners and finalists here.

This is a great move by the Oilers and should have fans eager to see what else is in store for the team this summer.

We will see how the rest of the offseason unfolds.

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