There was already smoke brewing around the status of 2025 Hobey Baker winner (and 2022 first round pick of Tampa) Isaac Howard when he didn’t turn pro this spring. Howard has completed three years of NCAA hockey and is at the prime time to turn pro.
It didn’t happen, and as most in this situation do, it was about the player and team disagreeing or being unable to get on the same page as far as immediate assignment to the NHL and burning a year of the entry level contract. The player usually wants it, the team might have different priorities in mind, including that pesky salary cap.