Hobey Winner Signs After Rights Traded by Tampa to Edmonton
CHN Staff Report
It was always a possibilty, and now it’s happened.
When Isaac Howard couldn’t reach contract terms with Tampa, the team that drafted him, he announced during this year’s Frozen Four that he would return to Michigan State next season. With goalie Trey Augustine already coming back, and adding in some other big-time recruits, there was a lot of excitement in East Lansing.
But even then, it was always possible that Howard would not actually play for the Spartans next season, if there was a trade. And that exact scenario played out.
Tampa traded Howard’s rights to Edmonton on Tuesday, and Howard immediately signed an entry-level contract with the Oilers. Tampa received the rights to Sam O’Reilly, the 32nd overall pick in 2024, who played in London of the OHL last season.
Tampa would have lost Howard’s rights a couple months after the end of next season.
The news came the same day that Michigan State officially lost out on the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes. Though the Spartans will still have plenty of firepower for next season, with Cayden Lindstrom, the No. 4 overall pick in last year’s draft, coming in from Major Junior, and second-rounder Colin Ralph transferring from St. Cloud State.
Michigan State could still conceiveably add a blue chipper. There are a few first-rounders just selected in last week’s NHL Draft who could go to the NCAA for one season.
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