Isaac Howard's Ideal Timeline

The question hovering over Isaac Howard isn’t whether he’s good enough for the NHL. It’s whether there’s actually room for him, and whether six weeks in Bakersfield is enough time to understand just how fast the show really moves.

Howard has been exceptional in Bakersfield. Nineteen points in 14 games since arriving November 14th. A hat trick on December 20th that had people checking the Edmonton Oilers’ roster for available spots. The numbers scream NHL-ready, and if this were your fantasy team, you’d make the move tomorrow.

But this isn't a fantasy hockey league, and the Oilers’ roster isn’t a suggestion box.

Here’s the reality: there has to be a spot. Not a theoretical spot. Not a “maybe if we shuffle things around” spot. An actual spot in the lineup that makes sense for both Howard and the team. Right now, where is that spot? The Oilers are relatively healthy. The forward group is established. You can’t just plug a guy in because his AHL numbers look pretty.

There are several players ready to return in January. Jake Walman to name a few. Maybe when the Oilers are adding another $3.3 million to their salary cap, a cheap forward—Noah Philp—has more appeal.

And even if a spot opens up, there’s this: the jump from the AHL to the NHL is massive. Not big. Not significant. Massive. The speed difference alone is enough to make talented players look ordinary for months.

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People see 19 points in 14 games and think the transition will be seamless. That Howard can just do the same things at the next level. That’s not how it works. The NHL is faster. A lot faster. The game moves at a pace that takes time to adjust to, even for elite prospects.

Matt Savoie spent an entire season in Bakersfield figuring out pro hockey. Not because he wasn’t talented—because there’s a learning curve that can’t be shortcut. 

Howard has had six weeks. Six weeks to adjust to professional hockey. Six weeks to start understanding what it means to play against men who’ve been doing this for years. That’s a start.

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This isn’t about whether Howard can score at the NHL level. He probably can. It’s about whether he's had enough time to properly develop all aspects of his game.

March starts to make more sense when you think about it that way. After the Olympic break, when the Oilers have a clearer picture of their roster. When injuries have inevitably created actual openings rather than theoretical ones. When Howard has had four or five months in Bakersfield instead of six weeks—enough time for the professional game to feel normal rather than overwhelming.

By March, Howard will have seen the same teams multiple times. He’ll have experienced the grind of a long season. He’ll have adjusted to the pace of professional hockey to the point where the NHL’s speed, while still faster, won’t be quite the shock it would be now.

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And here’s the other thing: the Oilers will know what they need by then. Right now, it’s December. The lineup is set. Roles are established. But by March? Things change. Players slump. Injuries happen. The team’s needs become clearer. Maybe there’s an obvious spot for Howard then. Maybe the opportunity presents itself naturally instead of having to be manufactured.

The risk is that waiting frustrates him. That he feels ready and the organization doesn’t agree. But the bigger risk is calling him up too soon, before there’s a real spot for him, before he’s adjusted to professional hockey’s pace, and watching him struggle in a situation he wasn’t prepared for.

Isaac Howard will play in the NHL. Probably soon. The numbers in Bakersfield suggest he’s talented enough. But talent alone doesn’t account for the speed of the game or the availability of roster spots. Those things matter just as much as point totals, maybe more.

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So the Oilers will likely wait. Let him dominate longer. Let him adjust to the pace. Let a spot open up naturally. And when Howard finally arrives, he won’t just be skilled—he’ll be ready for how fast it all moves. That difference matters.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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