A late-night hockey trade is shaking up two NHL teams’ futures, with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton Oilers swapping their promising young stars.
The Lightning are getting Sam O’Reilly, a 19-year-old center who’s been tearing it up in junior hockey. He was the 32nd pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and he’s shown exactly why this past season.
Playing for the London Knights in the OHL, O’Reilly put up some impressive numbers: 28 goals and 71 points in just 62 games. Even more impressive? He was a whopping +56 on the season.
But that’s not all. The kid knows how to step up when it matters most, scoring 22 points in 17 playoff games.
The Oilers aren’t walking away empty-handed. They’re getting Isaac Howard, who’s been making waves in college hockey. The 21-year-old left wing just had an absolutely incredible season at Michigan State, where he literally left everyone else in the dust.
How good was he? Howard scored 26 goals and racked up 52 points in 37 games – leading his team in scoring by 21 points. That’s pretty remarkable considering he was playing alongside eight other NHL-drafted players.
His performance was so outstanding that he took home college hockey’s highest honor – the Hobey Baker Award.
While O’Reilly might have more potential as a two-way player (he’s got the size at 6-foot-1 and the defensive skills to match), Howard looks ready to jump into the NHL right now.
The Oilers seem to think so too. Hockey insider Frank Seravalli reports they’re planning to have Howard in their lineup when the season opens this October.
It’s a trade that could help both teams. O’Reilly brings the Lightning a future two-way center with championship experience (he’s won the OHL title twice), while Howard gives the Oilers another scoring threat to add to their already potent offense.
