Could Oilers’ Isaac Howard Be a Fit for the Maple Leafs or Penguins?

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With the Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs both reportedly looking to trade older players for youth, one name stands out on the Edmonton Oilers: Isaac Howard. Part of the reason is that Howard fits that youth component. The other is that the forward might be squeezed out of Edmonton’s rotation as more forwards return from injury.

Neither team has been linked to Howard, so this is speculation. But he potentially fits the type of player both clubs say they want (Toronto a bit less because it’s believed they are looking for a defenseman).

Howard is a 22-year-old left wing and arguably the Oilers’ top prospect. Edmonton acquired him from Tampa Bay for Sam O’Reilly after he won the Hobey Baker. He’s on an inexpensive deal, with a $972,500 cap hit and RFA status in 2028. In the minors he scored 24 goals and 50 points in 47 AHL games last season, though his NHL sample remains small.

Pittsburgh Looks Like the Better Fit

The Penguins are reportedly making older forwards available, with Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust among the names most likely to be traded. For a team that wants younger players back, Howard is the kind of asset that would draw attention.

For Edmonton, the appeal is a more proven piece with a track record for scoring in the NHL. The Oilers’ bottom six could be deeper, but more concerning is that Howard on the fourth line might be Edmonton trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. He’s doing fine, but it’s an unnatural slotting. Still, Howard is one of the few young, cheap forwards in the system, and the Oilers are contending.

Salary matching would also matter, so the cap numbers are important here. Either the Penguins retain salary or they take money back. There’s no fit if the trade is Howard and a pick for Rust.

Toronto Is Not as Strong a Match

The Leafs are seeking a difference-maker on defense, and Howard is a forward. Toronto also wants to get younger, so the only pieces that might be heading Edmonton’s way are Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Troy Strecher, or Jake McCabe. Stecher is a former Oiler, which means that ship has probably sailed. McCabe has a full no-trade clause this season and is locked into a deal at $4.513 million until 2030. The cap hit isn’t as much a concern as the length of the deal (McCabe is 33 years old). Ekman-Larsson could be an interesting depth guy at $3.5 million, but there are questions about whether he’d be an upgrade in Edmonton’s bottom pairing and he’s 35.

If Howard were involved, Edmonton would want something more.

Both clubs are looking to trade veterans for young players, so they don’t have much to offer each other. Howard is the kind of piece a team like the Penguins might want, and the Oilers have to decide if a veteran is worth giving him up.

Next: Pretty Clear Who the Penguins Are Open to Trading in Bid to Get Younger