The Edmonton Oilers are heading into the season with one of their most interesting roster debates centered on Isaac “Ike” Howard. The question isn’t whether he has talent. It’s whether he’s ready to turn that talent into a real NHL role right now, or whether another stop in Bakersfield is still part of the plan.
That conversation has already taken off among fans, and Reddit became the latest battleground. One fan asked a simple but loaded question: does Howard get moved for a top-six winger, spend another half-season in Bakersfield, or finally grab a full-time spot? The replies came fast and hard, with plenty of lineup ideas, projections and stat guesses piling up.
A lot of the discussion circled back to Matthew Savoie, and not by accident. Savoie’s season last year started slowly in a limited, defense-first role before he caught fire after the All-Star break.
That kind of turnaround led several commenters to suggest Howard could follow the same path if new head coach Mike Babcock gives him time to settle in. Others weren’t so sure Babcock will be as patient with Howard, especially since Howard is seen more as a pure shooter than a player built around 200-foot detail.
That distinction matters. Savoie brings penalty-killing value and the kind of all-around game coaches tend to trust.
Howard’s appeal is different: he’s more one-dimensional, but his scoring upside is what makes him so intriguing. Fan projections reflected that range.
Some saw a modest 15-goal, 15-assist season. Others pushed the ceiling higher, suggesting 20 goals if he earns meaningful power-play time.
A few even went as far as calling him a Calder Trophy dark horse if he gets off to a fast start.
Lineup fit was another big part of the debate. If the Oilers want to find out what Howard can really do, several fans argued he should be placed next to Leon Draisaitl.
The logic is straightforward: Draisaitl has a track record of helping young wingers, and Howard could benefit from being put in a spot where the offense can come to him. But that kind of opportunity also comes with pressure.
If the production doesn’t show up, the margin for error likely won’t be very large.
One commenter put it bluntly, describing Howard as a shooter who “finds open spaces to use his shot” rather than a puck-carrier. That’s part of why some fans don’t see him as a natural fit in a shutdown assignment. To get the most out of him, the argument goes, he needs a true playmaker beside him.
Not everyone in the thread was focused on where Howard plays. Some were already wondering whether he could become trade currency.
The idea was that he might be used in a package for a proven top-six winger, especially since the Oilers don’t have many other assets that would draw interest. But that suggestion met resistance too.
Plenty of fans pushed back, arguing that moving a cost-controlled prospect with real upside might not bring back enough value, particularly with other teams able to put together stronger offers.
For now, Howard remains one of the most divisive names on the Oilers’ roster. Fans see the tools for a real scoring threat.
What they don’t agree on is whether he’s ready to deliver that impact in the NHL right away. How Babcock handles him early, and whether the team shows the same kind of patience it gave Savoie, could end up defining Howard’s season.
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