TAMPA BAY – Forward Sam O’Reilly is departing the Edmonton Oilers and joining the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have sent forward Isaac Howard the other way in a trade, Vice President and General Manager Julien BriseBois announced today.
O’Reilly, 19, spent last season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, appearing in 62 regular season games and tallying 28 goals and 71 points, along with a remarkable plus-56 rating. Among all London skaters, he ranked fourth in goals, third in points, and second in plus/minus. The Toronto native went on to compete in 17 OHL Playoff games, notching seven goals and 22 points with a plus-24 rating, helping lead the Knights to a five-game victory over the Oshawa Generals and securing back-to-back J. Ross Robertson Cup titles as league champions. His 22 postseason points and plus-24 rating were both third-best on the team.
Following the playoffs, O’Reilly continued to make an impact during the Memorial Cup tournament, contributing two goals and five points across five games, including the primary assist on the championship-winning goal, as the Knights claimed their third Memorial Cup in franchise history. Over the last two seasons, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound forward played in 130 regular season games with London, amassing 48 goals and 127 points, with a plus-88 rating and 11 power-play goals. He also featured in 33 postseason contests over that span, adding 12 goals and 34 points with a plus-26 rating.
O’Reilly was originally selected by Edmonton in the first round (32nd overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft.
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