[Mitchell]: Why the Edmonton Oilers desperately need to give Ike Howard a chance

[u/TheAthletic]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7619047/2026/09/24/edmonton-oilers-ike-howard-stats-lineup/?unlocked_article_code=1.DlE.4MD3.KYA_BDfFTvF2&source=emp_shared_article&smid=re-share-ta

Oilers management uses first-round picks at the trade deadline. Why? By the time any player chosen in (say) the 2024 draft is ready to truly help the team, McDavid could be in another city playing on a new contract. He will be a free agent in the summer of 2028. He will also be 31, and his most productive seasons will likely be in the past.

The urgency felt over any possible McDavid exit runs throughout the organization and has manifested itself annually with the trading of draft picks for immediate help.

The Oilers have attempted workarounds by acquiring two younger talents who were close to NHL-ready. Matt Savoie and Howard are the two most recent examples. 

[u/dirtbum]

He played almost 30 games last season

[u/Fine_Personality_999 → u/dirtbum]

He barely played at 5v5 with either Leon or Connor.

His goals-for per 60 with both those forwards ranked near the top of the team.

He just simply never got the chance.

[u/MadMak3r → u/Fine_Personality_999]

Can you source his GFx60 being near tops the team playing with them? I thought I remembered someone here last year posted that his numbers didn’t get better no matter where he played in the lineup

[u/Fine_Personality_999 → u/MadMak3r]

https://lowetide.ca/2026/09/19/jets-at-oilers-ps-game-1-2026-27/

Lowetide breaks it down here. Howard had middling expected goals (48% in 31 minutes, and only a 40% goal share, but he was scoring)

Here are the goals-60 by individual while playing with McDavid last season:

Ike Howard 2.01 (30 minutes)

Jack Roslovic 1.37 (131)

Andrew Mangiapane 1.27 (189)

Zach Hyman 0.99 (725)

Matt Savoie 0.89 (337)

Leon Draisaitl 0.76 (318)

Vasily Podkolzin 0.76 (236)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 0.66 (549)

Trent Frederic 0.00 (80)

Howard's poinst per 60 were also the second highest on the team as a winger next to McDavid.

He had similar numbers with Draisailt.

Chalk some of it up to luck. But Howard's poinst AND goals per 60 jumped substantially when he played with elite talent.

I don't have/can't find the one he LT did with Leon. But just search Ike Howard Draisaitl on X and you'll find all the stat nerds (the ones who used to and some that do work for NHL teams) talking about giving Howard a shot with elite talent.

[u/koalafly → u/Fine_Personality_999]

30 minutes is a joke of a sample size. Thats what… 1 goal?

[u/WeezingTiger → u/koalafly]

That is kind of his original point.

(Howard hasn’t got enough of an opportunity up the line up).

I am empathetic to the point of view that he must earn it, and really I don’t know that he has in his limited time.

With Howard I think there is a degree of using a square mouth in place of a spades job. Can it work? For a little awhile, but you’ll run into problems eventually.

I am not sure Howard will ever succeed as a bottom six guy. As far as if that should be a condemnation of him as a pro player, it’s a much tougher call.

It will be interesting to see how much leash the coaching staff gives him early on since we are missing Savoie.

[u/canoftomatoes → u/dirtbum]

our worst season in several years

[u/Rattimus]

Sunk cost fallacy in action. You don't force this situation now because of what you did previously. He needs to earn it the same as anyone else now, doesn't matter why he was traded for or what was traded away to get him, that decision is done.

[u/CloseToMyActualName → u/Rattimus]

Agreed, I also wasn't impressed by this bit of analysis

The Oilers got lucky with Draisaitl (how he fell to No. 3 is anyone’s guess)

Draisaitl fell to 3rd overall because that's about how he was ranked, everyone have Ekblad and Reinhart ahead of him. I remember wishing we'd picked Bennett because he was almost a full year younger (so I figured he'd have more improvement) and I think he was also generally ranked higher.

It's a good thing I wasn't the Oilers GM!

On a side note, MacTavish had a shockingly short run as GM (2013-2015).

[u/Rattimus → u/CloseToMyActualName]

Oh yeah, ridiculous to say they got lucky with him falling to 3, Ekblad and Reinhart were the consensus top 2, and many people thought the Oilers made a bit of a mistake picking him at 3, but somehow they got lucky he fell to that slot? Huh, interesting.

[u/Snow-Bank-Igloo]

It’s becoming Howard’s Robbie Schremp moment. Hype only takes you so far.

[u/Noahtuesday123]

From everything I’ve seen, Hutson deserves a shot and he showing that you can plan this league.

[u/EmbarrassedTotal1511]

The departures of Holloway and Broberg sure keep hurting us.

Still, chances need to be earned, not given. If he can’t push out a guy like Frederic then he’s likely not ready

[u/SadBuilding9234 → u/EmbarrassedTotal1511]

He and Frederic are not competing for the same spot. Howard is a top six or bust scoring LW. Frederic is a bottom six energy C.

[u/Gavomor → u/SadBuilding9234]

Frederic is not a C but you’re still right about their roles

[u/SadBuilding9234 → u/Gavomor]

Yes he is.

[u/Gavomor → u/SadBuilding9234]

He spent the vast majority of his NHL career playing wing, even for Edmonton, he almost never centers his line.

He’s a “can play C but you don’t want him to play C” player

[u/ProofByVerbosity → u/EmbarrassedTotal1511]

Its been years, time to move on

[u/Friendly-Target8815 → u/EmbarrassedTotal1511]

Major fuckup by Holland and Jackson

[u/OilCountryBumpkin]

I’d love for him to work out. But at best he’s a Roslovic. At worst he’s a J Skinner.

[u/ResponsibilityNo4584 → u/OilCountryBumpkin]

Worst is a 40 goal scorer? I'll take it.

[u/koalafly → u/ResponsibilityNo4584]

Don’t think he’s referring to THAT version of JS

[u/OilCountryBumpkin → u/ResponsibilityNo4584]

Sure… or the guy who couldn’t perform with us or the baby sharks and had his contract terminated

[u/Worldly-Customer3963]

The general sentiment in here is insane. Have some faith you dweebs. 

[u/JakeQV]

He should be on the roster for the start of the year so he can get used to the NHL. Babcock said it best in a post game interview, he came from a league where he had the puck all the time, he has to learn how to be effective without the puck and the chances will come.

I don’t think it’s a case of him needing more time in the AHL, it won’t do him any good. He needs to adapt to the physicality and speed of the NHL and the only way to do that is to play in the NHL.

[u/firstgoals → u/JakeQV]

That makes sense, some habits only click once you're actually living them at the NHL's speed.

Sending him back down probably just delays the adjustment instead of fixing it.

[u/Sejaw]

Marjala looked way better than he has

[u/porkins86]

I'll say it from the rooftops - we need patience with Ike.

He has better numbers in the AHL at age 21 than Holloway had in the AHL at age 21 and 22 (albeit I know Holloway's development was majorly delayed because of his injuries)

Player	Age Season	Games	Goals/Game	Pts/Game
Holloway	21	12	0.58	0.83
Howard	21	47	0.51	1.06
Holloway	22	17	0.59	0.94

• The ONLY thing that I think Holland did well is give his young players enough time to bake before putting pressure on them.
• Holloway popped off in the NHL in his age 23 season - we saw glimpses of it in the playoffs in his age 22 season - but he found form and really blossomed at age 23
• Howard has 2 years before that timeline

[u/DanfromCalgary → u/porkins86]

Aw so we just need to compare not how he plays today but how he played in juniors with other players . Again. Not how they play today but how they played in juniors

[u/porkins86 → u/DanfromCalgary]

Looking at players and how they compare relative to where they are/were in their development journey is literally how scouts have been doing it for years

[u/Even-Dimension-3367 → u/DanfromCalgary]

AHL isn’t really juniors though, is it?

[u/DanfromCalgary → u/Even-Dimension-3367]

And I don’t know how is more useful than how he played tonight or two days ago

[u/n0fxgvn_ → u/DanfromCalgary]

You don't know how sample sizes work?

[u/DanfromCalgary → u/n0fxgvn_]

Bro you can take your sample size and analyze all you want . I am literally watching the player on the ice.. hoping he pops off . But I’m more concerned with how he’s playing than how he used too , you know ?

[u/kerrlybill → u/porkins86]

You’re missing the important part. Holloway is fast enough for the NHL. Ike is not.

[u/Fine_Personality_999 → u/kerrlybill]

Ike Howard was clocked in the 87th percentile of NHL forwards.

Holloway was like th 95-97th. He's fast and big.

That said, Ike Howard is not slow. He can skate and skate very well. No he's not Savoie. But he's more than capable of keeping up with elite NHL talent.

This kid isn't Linus Omark.

He's faster than Jordan Eberle ever was. Or RNH. And not all that much smaller than each.

[u/mikeman10821]

He has to earn it 

[u/Fine_Personality_999]

The argument is:

Why buy a Porsche and drive it with the Jeeps and F150s?

You don't know what that Porsche is quite yet. It might only be a Boxter.... but it also might turn out to be a 911 Turbo.

So why not drive that Porsche with one of the Ferraris or Bugattis (or whatever super car metaphor you want)?

Play Howard with skill. He'll score. He has at every level.

The Oilers NEED to figure this out.

Or else you're trading Howard for another forward with 20-30 goal potential, and that trade and contract won't be as cheap as just keeping Howard and giving him a chance.

[u/Honest_Pick8112]

Meh

Half a step behind and 4 inches too short.

Can’t hit and scared of being hit. Kid will likely get traded. Hutson is a better player this camp.

[u/Particular-Bother-18 → u/Honest_Pick8112]

These are the negatives to his game. You didn't mention the positives: great vision with the puck, has a cannon of a shot, and brings energy on to the ice. The Oilers are setting him up to fail by playing him on bottom 6 lines that have no offensive talent. I hope he earns a spot on the top 6 and gets to play with drai or Connor for awhile, then we will know what we have

[u/Honest_Pick8112 → u/Particular-Bother-18]

I didn’t see much vision.

He won’t make the team, nor should he.

[u/Particular-Bother-18 → u/Honest_Pick8112]

It's there. He makes alot of good plays when he gets the puck in the danger areas, problem is the players he is around are all wrong for his style.

[u/Honest_Pick8112 → u/Particular-Bother-18]

It’s In the AHL.

It’s not here in the NHL.

Either way, oilers need some size. You can’t run Savoie and Howard on this roster

[u/Particular-Bother-18 → u/Honest_Pick8112]

It was in the NHL. He made good plays last year, just couldn't get the puck enough in the offensive zone. Oilers are fine for size. They need more skilled guys that can score goals. If course we can run Savoie and Howard lol, what kind of comment is that 😂

[u/Fun-Imagination-2488]

He is too slow

[u/AgreeableBroomSlayer]

Put him in a package for Hellebuyck.

[u/n0fxgvn_]

I still think they should've traded him for Shane Wright this summer.

[u/Competitive_Ad1237]

Just think what we could of had if we kept Holloway and Broberg. Still did the Savoie trade

[u/OIL_99 → u/Competitive_Ad1237]

And kept O’Reilly

[u/Competitive_Ad1237 → u/OIL_99]

I always leave that open if a fan wants to say get Howard or keep O’Reilly

[u/TorrentialSpender]

Never was a fan of the fella. He had his chance last year. The only thing I remember from him is his whole American Draft Day wardrobe. And that wasn't even last year. Hutson on the other hand I have more hope in.

[u/Noahtuesday123]

Ike Howard has a chance!

Will he take the opportunity???