It’s not every day a rookie can say his first NHL goal came from a play from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. For Isaac “Ike” Howard that moment arrived Tuesday night in Ottawa in a quick-strike finish just 49 seconds into the second period of Edmonton’s 3-2 overtime win over the Senators.
It was a simple goal with Howard exiting the penalty box, McDavid disrupting a play at center ice and Draisaitl threading a pass on a two-on-one. One quick release later, the puck was in the back of the net and Howard had opened his goal tally in the league.
Ike Howard opens up on moment he will ‘remember forever’
The 21-year-old winger, still only a few games into his NHL career, couldn’t stop smiling afterward during the postgame presser. When asked how it felt in the moment, Howard shared how special it was for him.
“I mean that’s uh obviously super cool,” he said. “Going to be a moment I’ll remember forever and to have those uh two guys in on the goal is pretty special and uh you know a couple great plays by them..”
The youngster had had a meteoric rise through the amateur ranks. Drafted 31st overall by Tampa Bay in 2022, he developed into one of college hockey’s premier scorers at Michigan State. Last season, he captured the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA men’s player after leading the nation with 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games.
That breakout year also helped him earn a trade to Edmonton this summer where he signed a three-year entry-level contract worth just under $1 million per season. For the Oilers, it was a calculated bet on upside and early signs suggest it’s paying off.
“It’s nice to see a puck go in,” Ike Howard added during the interview. “After that, I felt the puck came to me a little more effortlessly.”
If his trajectory from Michigan State carries forward, Edmonton may have unearthed another offensive weapon to complement its superstar core.
Kris Knoblauch shares his two-pence on Ike Howard’s game
Head coach Kris Knoblauch has been deliberate with Howard’s integration in the team easing him into NHL minutes on the fourth line and the second power-play unit. But Tuesday’s goal reinforced the idea that the young winger is settling in quickly.
“We’re very happy for him,” Knoblauch said. “He’s had chances in the slot before and finally connected on one. He’s starting to get more involved, moving his feet a little better. You can see him playing with confidence now.”
Injuries to depth forwards like Mattias Janmark and Kasperi Kapanen have opened up roster space and Knoblauch acknowledged that Howard will “have plenty of leeway” in the weeks ahead. The Oilers want to see how he develops with consistent NHL looks given how poised he has appeared since camp.
“He’s not a deer in the headlights,” the coach added. “From the first day of camp, he’s been making progress. There’ll be ups and downs, but we’re going to keep pushing him because we have a lot invested in him and want him to be a good player for us long term.”
Howard’s goal came in the final night of the Oilers five game road swing. After letting a 2–0 lead slip away early in the third, Edmonton responded with composure before Jake Walman ended it in overtime. The victory snapped a three-game slide and even gave Stuart Skinner his 100th career NHL win. It was also the night veteran Adam Henrique played his 1000th NHL game.
