Jack Roslovic, who the Edmonton Oilers signed to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million last Wednesday (Oct. 8), is about to debut with his new team.
The veteran forward’s first time wearing an Oilers jersey could come as early as Tuesday (Oct. 14), when Edmonton opens its five-game road trip by taking on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
Edmonton will have to find room for Roslovic, a 28-year-old centre who spent last season with the Carolina Hurricanes. And considering the depth of NHL talent currently in the Oilers organization, that could pose quite a challenge.
But after watching Edmonton’s first two games of the 2025-26 NHL season, it actually shouldn’t be too difficult of a decision for the Oilers about who to take out of the lineup: Isaac Howard.
Howard Plays First Two NHL Games
Howard is a 21-year-old winger who the Oilers acquired in an offseason trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 31st overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Howard only turned pro after winning the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, recognizing the top men’s player in NCAA hockey, last season while playing at Michigan State.
Related: 4 Takeaways From Oilers’ 3-1 Win Against Canucks
Edmonton’s games against the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks this past week have been the first two regular season contests of Howard’s career, and they’ve proven mostly uneventful for the native of Hudson, Wisconsin.
Skating on Edmonton’s fourth line with centre Adam Henrique and winger David Tomasek, Howard has seen just 21 minutes of action over the two games: 10:43 against Calgary and 10:17 versus the Canucks. He’s recorded one shot in each contest, and almost nothing else: no hits, no blocked shots, no takeaways. While Howard has by no means played terribly, he also hasn’t made an impact.
Howard is Not Entirely NHL-Ready
Howard has tons of ability and potentially a very bright future. There’s a reason why he was a first-round draft pick three years ago, and his output at Michigan State in 2024-25 – 26 goals and 26 assists in 37 games – was nothing short of spectacular.
Isaac Howard, Edmonton Oilers (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)
Now, however, the 5-foot-10, 180-pound forward suddenly finds himself playing against men – very skilled, very large men – in the NHL, and doing so without the benefit of any experience in the minors. Like just about anyone not named Connor McDavid, it will take Howard some time before he’s excelling at the top level of hockey. For a team in win-now mode like the Oilers, it doesn’t make sense to be playing Howard when someone more capable could be in his spot.
But it’s not only that Howard isn’t much of a help to the Oilers when he’s playing in Edmonton – it’s that the Oilers aren’t helping Howard much by keeping him in the NHL.
Howard Can Develop in the AHL
Arguably, logging 10 minutes per game in the NHL won’t do nearly as much for Howard’s development as it would for him to be seeing twice as much ice time in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors.
Furthermore, Howard’s bread and butter is his offensive ability. If and when he makes it in the NHL, it’s likely to be as a scorer, not in the utility role of a fourth liner.
With their organizational depth, the Oilers are in a position where they don’t need to rush Howard’s development. That’s a good thing, and a luxury that not every team has.
Howard Doesn’t Have to Clear Waivers
Roster decisions in the NHL aren’t entirely based on what’s best for the player or team; contracts often play a factor. But in the case of the Oilers and Howard, stashing him in Bakersfield checks both boxes.
Unlike other players that the Oilers might consider sending to the minors to make space for Roslovic – namely centre Noah Philp – Howard doesn’t have to clear waivers. The 27-year-old Philp was impressive throughout the preseason and has looked good in the opening two games of 2025-26, scoring his first career goal against the Canucks. If the Oilers were to expose Philp on the waiver wire, they might be saying goodbye to the well-rounded forward.
Curtis Lazar and Tomasek are a couple other forwards the Oilers might consider sending to Bakersfield. Lazar, who has yet to dress for a regular season game, would need to clear waivers. Tomasek is waiver-exempt, but the 29-year-old has played much more effectively than Howard thus far. While Tomasek and Howard are both in their first NHL season, the former has many years of pro experience overseas, and it shows.
It will be interesting to see what the Oilers decide to clear the way for Roslovic’s orange and blue debut. If it doesn’t happen Tuesday at the world’s most famous arena, then it’s likely to come Thursday (Oct. 16) on Long Island against the New York Islanders.
