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Pump the brakes on O’Reilly as one who got away from Oilers
Edmonton Oilers Sam O'Reilly
Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Michael Menzies
Jun 1, 2026, 17:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 1, 2026, 17:01 EDT
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Believe me, I’m not afraid to Victor Wembanyama big-boy dunk on the Edmonton Oilers if the situation requires it. 
We know the gaffes, the jokes. Jesper Wallstedt. Griffin Reinhart. Milan Lucic. So on, so forth. We have even more recent screwups if we don’t feel like dusting off the Greatest Hits (gaffes) album. 
So the Oilers haven’t necessarily deserved the benefit of the doubt here. But let’s just pump the brakes on a narrative that Edmonton fumbled Sam O’Reilly. 
The Oilers drafted him 32nd overall in 2024 and then last summer, shipped him off to Tampa Bay in a one-for-one prospect deal for Isaac Howard. 
But it’s O’Reilly’s moment right now and he’s earned it. The 20-year-old overage junior had a tremendous season with Kitchener, capping off a great tournament with the Memorial Cup on Sunday night and the MVP trophy. There’s no disputing a season that also includes his third OHL title and another league MVP. 
A big-time season that caps off a junior career where he becomes just the third player to win back-to-back Mem Cups with two different teams (Noah Dobson did that too, but don’t ask about his playoffs). 
O’Reilly’s an excellent prospect, but let’s not anoint him as the one who got away just yet. 
They are different types of players, but Isaac Howard has played four seasons against better nightly competition than O’Reilly did. The Kitchener Rangers forward dominated his level, but new challenges lie ahead. 
If you’re an Oilers fan, wouldn’t you rather have the slightly older prospect, who has already played a season of professional hockey and has won one of the hardest individual awards to win in hockey, the Hobey Baker Award? 
As of today, I would. 
Howard’s trajectory from a 52-point season and the Hobey Baker Award in 2024-25 to the AHL All-Rookie Team with 24 goals and 50 points in 47 games in 2025-26 is smooth. 
That’s exciting for Oilers fans. If the Oilers didn’t make the trade for Howard, it would still be exciting. 
Imagine this scenario: the Oilers and Lightning got a good young player who can become a long-time NHLer. If the trajectories hold, both teams will be sitting back happy with their work. 
In theory, the Oilers would get a shot-first, goal-scoring winger that can replace aging wingers like Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Lightning would get a two-way centre, probably a second- or third-liner, who could be tough to play against. 
Similar to Ryan McLeod for Matt Savoie, each team accomplishes their goal in the trade and can be happy with the early returns. 
It’ll be a fascinating trade to follow for the next decade, but neither player has even gotten out of the starting blocks. 
Both have major award accolades, both have either with their clubs or for their country. 
One day, sure, this could be another one of those prospects-who-got-away type of trades. But for now, let’s pump the brakes. 
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4. 

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