Isaac Howard and Josh Samanski are getting ready to join the Edmonton Oilers, and the team is facing a tough situation with their roster.
This is the kind of shuffle in March that really shows how serious things are getting. The Oilers have been trying to find space and playing time for a while now.
On Sunday, the Oilers placed Andrew Mangiapane and defenseman Alec Regula on waivers to create more flexibility.
Jason Gregor mentioned that the plan is to bring back both players once those waivers are done, and they have been.
This is the easiest way to handle the numbers without needing to make a trade first. Gregor also pointed out that the seating arrangements seem to be already figured out. Howard will be sitting next to Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen, while Samanski will be next to Zach Hyman and Derek Ryan Lazar.
Howard, who is 21 years old, was the 31st pick in the first round of the 2022 draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning before the Oilers got him last summer.
If he plays, what matters is his shooting and quick passing ability. The Oilers’ lower lines have been looking for someone who can turn a clean win in the forecheck into a real scoring chance. Samanski is 23 years old, went undrafted, and was signed from Germany. He plays with a direct style and has been doing well in Bakersfield, scoring 7 goals and getting 21 assists for 28 points in 39 games.
Isaac Howard makes the Edmonton Oilers make a choice.
Fans of the Oilers are excited to see the young players, but nobody likes seeing the team let go of players just to get by for another week.
The situation is clear. Edmonton currently has a record of 28 wins, 23 losses, and 8 overtime losses, and every point from now until the end of the season is critical.
Howard is a good fit if the team needs a fresh approach on the power play. Samanski is a good fit if they need to apply more pressure in five-on-five play and have fewer players who aren’t contributing.
If both get here on Monday, the upcoming game will reveal a lot. Either the kids will show some speed, or this will just be another quick fix.
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