It felt like the draft might have been the right time for the Lightning to move prospect Isaac Howard after the 2022 first-rounder indicated that he wouldn’t sign with Tampa Bay. However, GM Julien BriseBois indicated to reporters including Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times that they’re at a bit of a roadblock. While there are teams offering up a strong enough return for his services, they haven’t been able to work out a deal with Howard. Meanwhile, teams that Howard is willing to sign with haven’t offered up enough of a return yet. As things stand, the 21-year-old is set to return to Michigan State for his senior year and if he ultimately becomes a free agent next year, Tampa Bay would receive the 31st pick of the second round (63rd overall) as compensation.
Other college hockey news:
- The Kings are expected to sign prospect Jack Hughes to an entry-level contract, Mayor’s Manor reports. The 21-year-old (who has no relation to the New Jersey center with the same name) was a second-round pick by Los Angeles in 2022, going 51st overall. Hughes had 25 points in 40 games in his senior year at Boston University and could have become an unrestricted free agent in mid-August if he waited a little longer to sign. Instead, he’ll become the sixth player from the Kings’ 2022 class to sign a contract, assuming he puts pen to paper on a deal in the coming days.
- Blackhawks draft pick Julius Sumpf is expected to play at Providence College next season, reports Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal (Twitter link). The 20-year-old was the 98th overall pick on Saturday following a solid season with QMJHL Moncton that saw him pick up 65 points in 58 games. He also had seven points in five games for Germany at the World Juniors.
- Canucks draft pick Alexei Medvedev has declined interest from several NCAA schools and will return to OHL London next season, relays Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic (Twitter link). The 17-year-old was a second-round pick on Saturday, going 47th overall following a solid rookie year with the Knights. He put up a 2.79 GAA and a .912 SV% in 34 games during the regular season and with platoon partner and playoff starter Austin Elliott off to college next season, Medvedev should have a path to a much bigger role in 2025-26.
Jack Hughes is on a 2nd ELC now O_O
The Isaac Howard & Tampa situation will get resolved in due time way before next summer as these things just have to go through there progressions but a deal with get struck especially after listening to GM Julien BriseBois’s interview.
It defies logic that this league has a draft…AND the college (soon to be almost universal*) loophole.
And never seems to realize or care that the latter negates the former.
*Soon, only CHL players who can’t get into college will be the only ones who can’t easily hang out long enough to become UFA’s before ever signing the ELC’s. And the draft will be near moot.
Howard’s just another entitled athlete
So you are against hockey players being allowed to determine where they work. Thanks for sharing that.
If you get drafted you should be happy. If you’re a free agent it’s a lot different bozo
The snark. I am guessing you haven’t played competitive sports passed 6 year old coed soccer. But there is a culture and a way to do business in professional sports. He is free to exercise his options/leverage as he is. However, that always comes with a cost and added pressure.
He should have showed gratitude, signed and played his way to nhl or forced the team to move him to another situation.
Yes I guess if you ever had a job you’d be happy to let the government tell you where you had to live and work. You are pathetic.
Critical thinking seems challenging for you. No one anywhere said that IH needs to do what he is told. They simply pointed out the hypocrisy in his own statements and position and the cultural realities of pro sports.
It’s pretty hilarious how much control someone has over a team when they haven’t even played a single NHL game yet.
The ultimate irony.
Scouts, experts and even Howard himself trumpet his competitiveness as one of his best assets.
Then ultimately opts for the path of least resistance to an NHL roster.
He ultimately loses as he should be at someone’s development camp getting acclimated to a team. Going back to college carries many risks and will waste so much of his time.
Good riddance.