Isaac Howard is walking into Oilers training camp with real buzz building around what Mike Babcock has planned for him.
On Tuesday, Jason Gregor said on his radio show that Howard is going to get a genuine look this fall.
If he shows up ready, don't be surprised if he sticks, Gregor said, in comments relayed by Bleed Oil Blue.
On the Jason Gregor Show, Gregor said Oilers Ike Howard is going to get a real shot under Mike Babcock. If he shows up ready at camp, don't be surprised if he sticks. The kid can flat-out shoot.
So is this a real opening, or just another camp storyline that fades out by mid-August?
Howard skated in 29 games as a rookie last season, posting 5 points with a -6 rating.
His usage thinned down the stretch. Just 2 points over his final 10 games, with one helper in his last 5.
At a $950,000 cap hit, Howard is cheap enough that Edmonton can carry him without squeezing the books at all.
Why Howard's camp battle runs through a crowded top six
That matters on a roster already paying big money to Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard up top.
Babcock doesn't hand out real chances for show. Earn it during camp, or it's another year developing in the minors.
Edmonton finished last season 41-30-11 for 93 points, with a plus-13 goal differential and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins still anchoring depth up front.
Handing a bottom-six winger an actual audition sounds simple until camp turns into a logjam of names fighting for two openings.
It's less an open door than a revolving one, and Howard needs to grab it before it swings shut on him again.
Zach Hyman and Vasily Podkolzin already occupy wing minutes in that mix, and neither is walking away from theirs without a fight.
Camp will decide fast whether Gregor's report turns into an actual lineup spot, or another year of Howard waiting his turn.
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Does Isaac Howard actually stick with the Oilers out of training camp?
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