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6 fun facts about new Edmonton Oilers prospect Isaac Howard

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Jul 9 2025, 7:51 pm
6 fun facts about new Edmonton Oilers prospect Isaac Howard
Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

After week’s of speculation, the Edmonton Oilers were officially able to acquire Isaac Howard in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.

This is a very intriguing move for the Oilers, as it gives them a young piece who, in the eyes of most, is NHL ready. Immediately after being acquired, the 21-year-old agreed to a three-year entry-level contract.

Despite being a big acquisition, however, many are still unfamiliar with Howard, given that he has yet to play in the NHL. With that said, here are seven fun facts about the newest Oiler in order for fans to get to know him better.

Hobey Baker winner

There is plenty of reason to be excited about the acquisition of Howard, in large part due to the season he had in 2024-25. The 5-foot-11 winger scored a ridiculous 26 goals and 52 points in 37 games with Michigan State University. It was a massive improvement after he managed six and eight goals through his first two seasons at the collegiate level.

The strong season was enough to see Howard be named the Hobey Baker winner. There have been some fantastic players who have won the award in recent years, including Macklin Celebrini, Cole Caufield, and Cale Makar.

Prefers to go by ‘Ike’

Speaking with Edmonton reporters on Wednesday morning, Howard revealed that rather than going by Isaac, he prefers to be called ‘Ike’. This is actually relatively common for individuals named Isaac, but may initially confuse some of the fan base.

Once everybody catches on, Oilers fans are sure to have some fun with the name Ike. In fact, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to hear the name chanted at Rogers Place at some point in the upcoming season.

Hilarious nickname

While he prefers to go by Ike on a regular basis, the extremely confident prospect revealed his hilarious nickname at the 2022 NHL Draft. Shortly after being selected 31st overall, he said, while wearing a very bold white suit, that his nickname is the Ice Man.

Revealing the nickname, especially in the confident manner that he did, helps showcase Howard’s unique personality. He has plenty of charisma, which isn’t often common for NHL players.

Claimed he was best best-looking player in his draft

Wearing the white suit wasn’t the only reason Howard was talked about so much at his draft, despite being taken late in the first round. When asked about his outfit, he gave an answer that got plenty of attention.

“I’m the best-looking guy here, and I dress the best,” Howard said. “Dress to impress.”

He wasn’t done there, either, as he gave a very funny answer when asked about being selected by Tampa.

“I think they have the best draft picks,” Howard said. “That’s the steal of the draft right there. That’s why they’re the best organization.”

World Junior phenom

Many hockey fans may recognize Howard’s name from the international stage. During the 2024 World Junior Championships, he was able to score a team-leading seven goals for USA, while also chipping in with two helpers.

Those seven goals were tied for the tournament lead with Swedish forward and Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki. Howard’s big tournament proved to be clutch, as the Americans were able to win gold.

World Championship winner

The World Juniors weren’t the only international success Howard has had as of late. The young winger was able to suit up for the Americans at the 2025 World Championship, where he recorded an assist in four outings.

Though Howard’s offence wasn’t on display as it had been in the World Juniors, he was able to help his team win it all yet again, as the Americans won gold at the World Championship for the first time since 1933.

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