The thing is since he wasn't on the Syracuse or Tampa roster at the time of the trade deadline the only way he can play in the AHL this year is on a ATO. I'm sure BriseBois would be fine with him playing a game or 2 to end the year but he would need to be on a active NHL contract so couldn't sign a ATO. So if he gets signed to burn a year off his ELC then he burns the chance to play in Syracuse. They probably want him to help Syracuse make the playoffs and play till they get eliminated before becoming a black ace. Seems like Howard doesn't want that and only wants to be on the NHL roster the rest of this season. So it's a game of chicken for the next week to see who blinks first.
Prospect Info: 2022 31st Overall Pick | LW Isaac Howard
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The thing is since he wasn't on the Syracuse or Tampa roster at the time of the trade deadline the only way he can play in the AHL this year is on a ATO. I'm sure BriseBois would be fine with him playing a game or 2 to end the year but he would need to be on a active NHL contract so couldn't sign a ATO. So if he gets signed to burn a year off his ELC then he burns the chance to play in Syracuse. They probably want him to help Syracuse make the playoffs and play till they get eliminated before becoming a black ace. Seems like Howard doesn't want that and only wants to be on the NHL roster the rest of this season. So it's a game of chicken for the next week to see who blinks first.
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
I think a trade at the draft is the most likely, considering the bridge seems burned.
I would like to know if BriseBois pulled the cookie away and said "ATO with Syracuse to end this season" and didn't want to sign him to an ELC to end this season and give him the 2-3 NHL regular season games that we all thought he'd get. If an ATO was all that was offered for this season, that's a bit insulting IMHO.
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Yeah, an ATO to end the season is a bit insulting to me, considering how Howard had earned a standard ELC for this season IMHO.
AlwaysSunnyInTampa
Oh no! We suck again!!
Either draft shut up and skate players or evolve your approach beyond making the most routine f***ing contract in sports into rocket science. The amount of players we can't sign has reached the point of malpractice
This is unacceptable. Figure it out
This is unacceptable. Figure it out
LightningStrikes
Champa Bay Lightning
- Nov 24, 2009
- 26,435
- 11,727
Who’s to say that Tampa won’t give him a spot on the roster in a year though? I mean this is obviously not an optimal situation but I don’t see the sky falling yet either.
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Friedman could be completely wrong because he doesn't source as well as he could with all of the US teams, but from what he's alluded to, it feels like the bridge has been burned.
How is it insulting? Sure Howard was a 1st round pick but 31st overall. Gauthier was drafted 37th overall the next year and has no problem playing in Syracuse. He could just sit out till his ELC starts next season.
You could argue Howard proved more this year but Gauthier probably did last year by helping his team win the memorial Cup so both have had post draft success. So you can't say asking Howard to do something a player picked 6 spots later, albeit a different draft, is insulting to him.
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Gauthier and Drummondville did not win the Memorial Cup, they won the Q title, that's it.
Howard has leverage as an NCAA route player. Gauthier gave all of his leverage away when he signed his ELC.
You're right, for some reason I thought they had won it. Still made it there while Howard's team couldn't make the frozen four.
Sure he has some leverage but we can trade his rights to Calgary. I'm sure he'd rather be in the US playing for a Stanley Cup contender.
DistantThunderRep
Registered User
- Mar 8, 2018
- 19,557
- 18,770
Could be the Adam Fox situation where his rights were traded multiple times because he didn't want to play anywhere but New York.
RSchmitz PhD
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Why would we guarantee him a spot in a year if we couldn't now? We don't do that, and even if we did, he'd be a few months from UFA and have full control over which organization he wants to sign with, why would he decide to put himself behind a logjam here?
I don't see the sky falling either, because we can trade his rights away. Is the sky falling with respect to his future on this team though? Unfortunately it is hard to argue otherwise
Todd1a
Kucherov or prospect
Can’t really guarantee him a spot our top 9 next season could be very good without Howard.
Guentzel,point, kucherov
Hagel,cirelli, Bjorkstrand
Geekie, Paul,gourde
Chafie, vacant, 28 girgs
I think geekie could be more ready next year probably a better player then Howard
I’m assuming there is a good chance gourde signs with us again I don’t see a reason why he won’t really
so tell me if i have this right or not
he wanted to be part of the team for the playoffs, but not to play. which i think is a fair ask if he's as good as people hype him up to be (i dont study prospects)
but we don't even have enough cap space to offer him a elc to do that. would simply waiving Atkinson have done that? I know getting ahead of this and dumping someone like Chaffee for a pick at the deadline would've.
maybe he is also wanting a guaranteed of spot in the lineup next year, which is maybe a big ask on a team with the aspirations this one has. but there is a spot open in the top 9 next year (imo) which i don't have a problem gifting him unless he completely sucks. i don't know how he compares to Leonard from Washington, but they had no problem finding him a spot.
he is getting ripped on social media by Lightning fans, and to me this seems more of an issue of the front office. because unless these are lies, it's not as issue of not wanting to be part of this organization
he wanted to be part of the team for the playoffs, but not to play. which i think is a fair ask if he's as good as people hype him up to be (i dont study prospects)
but we don't even have enough cap space to offer him a elc to do that. would simply waiving Atkinson have done that? I know getting ahead of this and dumping someone like Chaffee for a pick at the deadline would've.
maybe he is also wanting a guaranteed of spot in the lineup next year, which is maybe a big ask on a team with the aspirations this one has. but there is a spot open in the top 9 next year (imo) which i don't have a problem gifting him unless he completely sucks. i don't know how he compares to Leonard from Washington, but they had no problem finding him a spot.
he is getting ripped on social media by Lightning fans, and to me this seems more of an issue of the front office. because unless these are lies, it's not as issue of not wanting to be part of this organization
JTBF81
Registered User
Don't forget about Goncalves. I can see him on the 3rd with Geekie and Paul, at least to start, while Gourdd anchors the 4th line with Chaffee and hopefully, a ufa acquisition. Girgensons can be the 13th F or waived if someone else beats him out in camp.
creg
Registered User
- Mar 21, 2025
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All context clues suggest that this is about his playtime next year, assuming that Howard can be taken at face value for saying that he had no problem playing in the AHL this year. Our top 9, including Gourde (since I think that it's practically guaranteed he re-signs), doesn't really have a spot for Howard as of right now. There is a single top 9 spot that is open and you'd be competing with Goncalves & Geekie (who I think will end up getting the spot out of camp).
I also think that as an organization, for better or for worse Tampa believes in earning your spot, guaranteeing a top 9 role to a player that hasn't actually proved anything at a professional level is sorta the antithesis to how this team operates.
I don't think it's management's fault personally, like what are you going to do leave a hole in your lineup for the chance that his kid could step into a top 6 role? He had a great NCAA season this year but he still has holes in his game, you could see it in his final game against Cornell.
JTBF81
Registered User
There's no conclusive evidence one way or the other, only that he and the team didn't see "eye to eye". However, if part of it was that he didn't like the idea of spending at least part of next season in Syracuse and that he should be entitled to a full time spot next year because he's a 1st round pick with one good college season 3 years in, he's very much deluding himself, at least on a team like the Lightning. If he's as good as he and many think he is, he could've earned that spot with an impressive camp and preseason next year, but nothing was going to be given to him.
He definitely seems like the type of player to bet on himself. Maybe he wants to play in a "traditional market". He is an interesting personality and following him for three years to see him go somewhere else sucks, but if we can get a quality prospect for him, perhaps a defenseman with offensive upside, that'd help get over it.
- Jun 17, 2009
- 10,152
- 6,798
Thought about this some more. Maybe it isn’t just that he doesn’t want to play in the AHL next year. Maybe he sees the depth chart above him and realizes he can’t really play his way onto the team until 2027. Just given where our window is at, it may just be best for both sides to move on and let him try to fast track in a different organization.
I just hope we can get something of value for him in return this summer.
I just hope we can get something of value for him in return this summer.
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
NCAA versus the Q, apples to oranges, hockey is a team game, and Howard has always been a better prospect than Gauthier. Idk what else to tell ya.
RussianGuyovich
Hella Ennui
- Jan 2, 2007
- 10,083
- 9,210
I’d trade him next TDL, “A bird in the hand”. It’s not worth losing for nothing, except that he’s worth less then. It’s a discussion that JBB should have had with Howard sooner.
RSchmitz PhD
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AlwaysSunnyInTampa
Oh no! We suck again!!
I'm not saying Howard couldn't handle this better. But the whole "You must pay tribute to Syracuse" bit is f***ing ridiculous. We've had 1 draft pick in the 1st round since the last ice age and we have to die on this hill. Imagine making Matthew Knies do this.
I guess we can just hold our breath from now on everytime we draft someone.
Howard has been our 1 prospect while Gauthier has been number 2 since Gauthier was drafted up until we brought in Geekie this year. It's not like i was comparing 1 vs 10. Howard does have the higher potential but also the higher chance of busting, Gauthier is more likely to have a longer more consistent career.
Either way Howard, in the organizations eyes, is probably not that far ahead and is definitely not ahead of Geekie who's in Syracuse. He needs to change who he's getting his advice from because he's might become Jimmy Vesey and not Adam Fox.
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