Oilers make a big trade tonight, trade former 1st rounder for 2025 Hobey Baker winner!

This just in, the Edmonton Oilers have traded 19 year old 2024 1st round pick (32nd overall) Sam O'Reilly to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner Isaac Howard.

Reaction from Oilers fans online seems to be mixed, as O'Reilly was considered one of the franchise's top prospects.

O'Reilly put up 28 goals and 71 points in 62 games the London Knights en route to winning the 2025 OHL championship and the Memorial Cup. A top prospect, no doubt. So... what exactly are they getting in return?

The 21 year old Howard is a pretty divisive prospect. He put up big numbers with 26 goals and 52 points in just 37 games with Michigan State. He was selected in the 1st round, 31st overall by the Lightning in the 2022 NHL Draft. Howard has declined to sign with the Lightning though, apparently because Howard wants a guaranteed NHL roster spot from the jump. The Oilers must be willing to put him into the lineup immediately, given that he signed a 3 year deal with the team upon being traded.

There were reports from NHL insider Frank Seravalli last week that the Oilers and the Lightning were close on a Howard trade, but that the Lightning changed their minds at the last moment.

"There's many people around the league who thought the Oilers were getting Isaac Howard at the Draft. The Oilers told the Lightning they could and would do a late first round pick for Howard's rights, but it never happened."

Evidently, the teams were able to come to terms this evening.

Read below for some online reaction to the trade: