Howard told reporters Friday he wants to show growth and development heading into his second professional season.
Howard spent most of 2025-26 in the AHL with Bakersfield, though he managed five points in 29 NHL regular-season games for the Oilers. The 22-year-old said, "I think there's a lot of great lessons I took from it to help me grow as a player & come back ready for this camp." Howard will have to earn his spot for 2026-27, but if he sticks in the NHL, he eventually could find his way into a top-six role.