Speculation: Isaac Howard & Tampa's Cap Crunch

[wickedwitch]

If that were the hang up he'd be in the lineup, he wants a spot for next year.

We don't really know what he wants other than it's something Tampa isn't offering.

 

[Rschmitz]

We don't really know what he wants other than it's something Tampa isn't offering.

He said enough on Spittin Chicklets to know what he wants, he doesn't want to go to the AHL

 

[wickedwitch]

He said enough on Spittin Chicklets to know what he wants, he doesn't want to go to the AHL

He said that starting in the NHL immediately was NOT the issue.

 

[Rschmitz]

He said that starting in the NHL immediately was NOT the issue.

..and quickly went mum on the details. Friedman pointed out how the Lightning and him had a different vision of how he'd fit in the lineup moving forward. It's not a contract issue, or else he could be signed now, pretty easy to deduce what the holdup is.

Howard doesn't care if he plays this year while we are playing meaningful games in a playoff race, he wants a spot next season and would rather play at MSU than Syracuse if he isn't given a priority roster spot in the lineup.

 

[Xoggz22]

He’s a malcontent and should be punished. Trade him to Buffalo.

I just have to say.... this is awesome. Why? Because that role used to belong to Columbus.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

They want him to sign an Amateur Try-Out for the rest of the season so as not to burn a year of his ELC

Is that confirmed? I have seen a lot of speculation to the point i'm not sure what actually has been said publicly. Not surprised if so, though, they did the same with Killorn and others.

 

[Mattb124]

and....what does this have to do with not getting an opportunity?

You don’t seem to understand what is happening here. The player wants to sign with Tampa and burn a year on his ELC THIS SEASON. You seem to think that participating in next season’s training camp will accomplish that goal. That is not correct.

 

[Rschmitz]

You don’t seem to understand what is happening here. The player wants to sign with Tampa and burn a year on his ELC THIS SEASON. You seem to think that participating in next season’s training camp will accomplish that goal. That is not correct.

Except he literally said that he wasn't demanding to step into the NHL right away. If the argument is that he wanted to burn an ELC year, than it's not about opportunity, it's about his contract.

It's funny that you think you're trying to educate me on this when it's been discussed for months on the Lightning board and we've analyzed every bit of information reported on. Almost all of this is speculation, so it's asinine to talk as if it is known what he wants.

 

[Ducati Boy]

You don’t seem to understand what is happening here. The player wants to sign with Tampa and burn a year on his ELC THIS SEASON. You seem to think that participating in next season’s training camp will accomplish that goal. That is not correct.

Tampa has the cap space now and would probably welcome him to play the final (meaningless) game of the year and burn 1 year of his ELC, but the issue appears to be more about his perceived role on the team.

 

[Djp]

Except he literally said that he wasn't demanding to step into the NHL right away. If the argument is that he wanted to burn an ELC year, than it's not about opportunity, it's about his contract.

It's funny that you think you're trying to educate me on this when it's been discussed for months on the Lightning board and we've analyzed every bit of information reported on. Almost all of this is speculation, so it's asinine to talk as if it is known what he wants.

His siging age is 21 now so it's a 3yr elc

Signing a yr later at 22 elc are 2 years. Next yr Is his sr yr, so rights to aug 15.

 

[Picklepete]

I wouldn't say they have ALL the leverage. At this point he's only one year away from UFA. He could easily play out that last NCAA season if Tampa trys to f*** him

He's F-ing himself not the Bolts.
Cocky young player.
Oh well.

 

[TLEH]

If they had a plan and he signed immediately after losing he could have made like 90k in game checks. Add in signing bonus and some performance stuff for like 25k that most guys get like this, then he's out 200k or so. Idk.. shit would bother me as a player too. I just won the Hobey. You drafted me in the first round. Why are you not having a more clear plan for me? Why am I losing out on 200k?

Now I'm about to sign and give team control for a long time? Idk man. I get it.

 

[Crow]

His siging agr is 32 now so it's a 3yr elc if
Signing a yr later at 22 elc are 2 years. Next yr Is his sr yr, so rights to aug 15.

What?

 

[Happyhary9]

What?

That guy must of borrowed Fiddy's computer.

 

[Djp]

What?

Sorry

His signing age now us 21 so 3yr elc
Next yr he is 22, elcsare 2 yrs

His senior yr is next yr so his rights end Aug 15 and he can sign with anyone.

Its about incentives

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

He's F-ing himself not the Bolts.
Cocky young player.
Oh well.

How is he f-ing himself? Tampa tried to overplay their hand and he called them on it. Gonna lose their top prospect for it. They played themselves.

 

[creg]

How is he f-ing himself? Tampa tried to overplay their hand and he called them on it. Gonna lose their top prospect for it. They played themselves.

Our to prospect is Geekie not Howard, in fact Howard was looking pretty middling until having a good year this season (which is also his d+3)

There is no reason to guarantee the kid a roster spot when he's very clearly not ready, way higher touted prospects joined their team this year and have any of them looked good? And as much as Howard has leverage, I also feel like an undersized scoring forward might appreciate being in an org that has been historically incredibly good at developing that exact player type.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

If they had a plan and he signed immediately after losing he could have made like 90k in game checks. Add in signing bonus and some performance stuff for like 25k that most guys get like this, then he's out 200k or so. Idk.. shit would bother me as a player too. I just won the Hobey. You drafted me in the first round. Why are you not having a more clear plan for me? Why am I losing out on 200k?

Now I'm about to sign and give team control for a long time? Idk man. I get it.

By all means he was offered something, they seem to want him, and honestly this whole situation is just worse because its all in the realm of speculation because neither side is sharing details. According to the kid starting in the NHL is not the issue but what exactly that means is hard to say, I don't understand how you wouldn't want to get signed and show something at the AHL or NHL level. I know the AHL isn't glamorous but lets be real here, Tampa has been chasing that elusive 2020 depth since 2020. If he can bury chances at the AHL level theres no reason they wouldn't fast track him just like they did with Kucherov, Cirelli, or Point. None of those guys even played a full season, Cirelli played about 50, Kucherov played 17, Point played 9.

Something isn't being said here obviously but its also very confusing as to what it could be. Howard just repeated a PR rehearsed thing for public consumption it seems at this point and hey, thats the biz, but its still all confusing.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

How is he f-ing himself? Tampa tried to overplay their hand and he called them on it. Gonna lose their top prospect for it. They played themselves.

They're not going to lose anything, they retain his rights for another year and if he can't get signed, he gets flipped for something valuable.

 

[TLEH]

By all means he was offered something, they seem to want him, and honestly this whole situation is just worse because its all in the realm of speculation because neither side is sharing details. According to the kid starting in the NHL is not the issue but what exactly that means is hard to say, I don't understand how you wouldn't want to get signed and show something at the AHL or NHL level. I know the AHL isn't glamorous but lets be real here, Tampa has been chasing that elusive 2020 depth since 2020. If he can bury chances at the AHL level theres no reason they wouldn't fast track him just like they did with Kucherov, Cirelli, or Point. None of those guys even played a full season, Cirelli played about 50, Kucherov played 17, Point played 9.

Something isn't being said here obviously but its also very confusing as to what it could be. Howard just repeated a PR rehearsed thing for public consumption it seems at this point and hey, thats the biz, but its still all confusing.

Yeah its a lot of reading between the lines. I assume they give him the games as soon as they lose and he's easily signed. I'm not sure if they tried the ATO route to save a year. I'm not sure if they did that initially and then said okay we'll get you here with 2 games left. Based on what has been reported by Friedman and others is that it definitely doesn't seem like they were ready to give him the 8-9 games he could have played.

Then I think most guys get that they have to make the team next year. I think that is what he means by guaranteed spot. Not guaranteed to play playoffs or not play AHL next year. Just guaranteed to sign and play this year and make a bit of money for the summer. Which is what most highly touted college guys get.

I disagree a bit that he wasn't trending well either. Had a bad freshman year but that was a bad fit for him and then the D+2 was good with a great WJC and a solid first year at MSU. Either way.. I do agree that its a bit of a guessing game. I could be completely off. I just highly doubt a first round pick is just deciding to go back to MSU after winning the Hobey unless there was clearly a whiff somewhere. Like I spelled out, if I was "screwed" out of 200k while watching other guys in similar situations that I know get that? I'd be annoyed too.

 

[Son of Donegal]

Welp. Boston has plenty of space for him! He'd get a shot in the top 6 immediately, I imagine. That says more about Boston than it does Howard...

Tampa is stacked on D, but Hedman is getting up there.

How would Lightning fans like RFA Mason Lohrei for Howard, 1 for 1?

Don't let that -43 scare you.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

At end of day pretty much any good NCAA prospect expects at least a few NHL games to sign

Hawks have been doing it willing to burn year of ELC and its practically become norm around league

Not getting that it really is reasonable for Howard to not sign (If that is reason in end). We saw it with what happened with Jets/McGroarty

If relationship has reached point of no return then TB does need to find out if there are teams he is willing to sign with in offseason so they can prepare a trade

Having experienced the "Going UFA route" with Kevin Hayes/Hawks situation it would have been preferable if he had informed Hawks earlier and had willingness to sign somewhere so Hawks could have gotten better return than comp 2nd round pick that was 54th overall pick in 2015 draft. Hawks selected Graham Knott with that pick and he never made it to NHL and was not even a good ECHL player

 

[atlanticobserver]

Wow. Terrible look for Howard. What could he have possibly wanted from Tampa?

 

[uncleben]

Wow. Terrible look for Howard. What could he have possibly wanted from Tampa?

Max contract could have been an issue, but I kind of doubt it, so I'm kind of left to speculate a guaranteed spot on the roster in October...

 

[atlanticobserver]

Max contract could have been an issue, but I kind of doubt it, so I'm kind of left to speculate a guaranteed spot on the roster in October...

To be honest, I am kind of feeling like he was not serious about signing with Tampa at all. If he really just wanted to go back to Michigan State, he would have just said so. Instead he said that he didn't see eye to eye with management. If you are who you seem to think you are surely you will crack the roster in October. Confounding and frustrating for TB fans who have been rooting hard for this kid for weeks, months, years if you go back to the WJC.