Isaac Howard --Michigan State

[stanw]

I read on Sportsnet.ca that Howard and Tampa Bay are not on the same page about him signing and he has said he is going to return to Michigan State for next year. He was Tampa's 2022 first rounder pick. What do you think of the Blues offering their first round pick in this year draft in a trade. He is a lw 5'11 190 -- big ten player of the year-- just won the Hobey-Baker award, lead the nation in points per game. Kind of similar to Jimmy Snuggerud but I think maybe a better upside.

[MikoTython]

Seems like they blew it. What comp. do they get if he signs elsewhere after next year ? Imean, all they had to do was cough up enough cap space to sign him to an ELC. If nothing else, dump one of their low-performing prospects. Hard to figure.

[Pierre McGuire]

Great player….confident in his abilities almost to the point of it being a character flaw….doesn’t always fly over well with teammates. With that said, he will grow up eventually. There will be no shortage of suitors for him if he hits UFA.

[STL fan in MN]

Tampa had all season to prepare for being able to have the cap space needed to sign Howard at the end of the season and they didn’t prioritize it. [F)ork A)round and F)ind O)ut]. It’s really not that hard to fit 1-2 weeks worth of a ELC onto a roster but they left themselves short and are apparently unwilling to send anyone down to the minors to be able to sign Howard.

So he’s choosing the NIL money and then perhaps the ability to be a UFA and choose his destination. TB screwed this one up. My guess is they look to trade him now.

And agree with Pierre that he can be a bit cocky. That said, he clearly has talent. He was the leading scorer of the U18 NTDP team that included Logan Cooley, Cutter Gauthier, Rutger McGroarty, Frank Nazar, Jimmy Snuggerud and Lane Hutson and now he’s won the Hobey Baker too. But he’s thought of as a player that has to be a top-6 winger or bust. And he has some flaws in his game and is a bit undersized. I think he’ll make it as a top-6 winger but there’s a reason why he was drafted after all of those guys he outscored and is thought of as a little lesser player/prospect than them as well. But he’s still a high quality prospect and Tampa should’ve found a way to sign him.

[STL fan in MN]

lol at the post editing my [F)ork A)round and F)ind O)ut] comment

[STL fan in MN]

Seems like they blew it. What comp. do they get if he signs elsewhere after next year ? Imean, all they had to do was cough up enough cap space to sign him to an ELC. If nothing else, dump one of their low-performing prospects. Hard to figure.

Howard was the 31st overall pick so if Tampa let it get that far, they’d get the 31st pick of the 2nd round (63rd overall) in 2027 as compensation. The 2nd round would have 33 picks that year.

They’d be much better off trading him if they were convinced that’s where this would go.

[dhsux]

He's a great player....where would he go on a redraft knowing what we know now?

But is this a position or player the Blues should move pieces for? Another winger?

Not thrilled with the comments on borderline character issues either.