Josh Samanski spent most of last season as one of Edmonton’s quieter success stories, and that’s exactly why he enters 2026-27 with a real chance to lock down a permanent role.
The 24-year-old didn’t start the year in the NHL. He opened with the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League, put up eight goals and 31 points in 45 games, then forced his way into the conversation.
By the time he made his NHL debut on Jan. 26 against the Anaheim Ducks, he had already shown enough to earn a look. He finished with two goals and four points in 24 regular-season games, then added one goal and two points in five playoff appearances.
For an undrafted player who “came out of nowhere and stole a roster spot,” that was a strong first step. Samanski also represented Germany at the 2026 Olympic Games with Leon Draisaitl, scoring one goal and recording two points in five games.
What stands out most is the role he carved out. At 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Samanski settled in as a reliable fourth-line centre, averaging 10:34 a night and finishing with a plus-2 rating.
His game is built on structure, not flash. He’s defensively responsible, smart with the puck, and already looked comfortable doing the thankless work that coaches trust.
The offense, though, is still coming along. He’s clearly still learning the pace and demands of NHL hockey.
The path to another roster spot looks pretty clear. Samanski doesn’t have much competition for the fourth-line centre job, even with a cluster of bottom-six forwards fighting for places.
Mathieu Joseph, Colton Dach, Max Jones, Eduards Tralmaks, Mattias Janmark, and Alex Formenton are all in the mix, but they’re wingers. Edmonton could try a few players down the middle, but those options come with obvious risk.
Trent Frederic has played centre before, but it didn’t work. Dach could also be used there, though that would pull him away from the wing, where he’s better suited.
Another possibility is sliding Ryan Nugent-Hopkins into the third-line centre role and moving Jason Dickinson to the fourth line, but that feels more like a fallback plan than a real starting point. That kind of shuffle should only happen if Samanski struggles badly.
The upside for Edmonton is straightforward. If Samanski holds the job and adds a little more punch, the Oilers get a much more useful fourth line.
The best-case version of this season has him becoming a full-time fourth-line centre who chips in more around the net and turns into a legitimate depth scorer. A target line of 10 goals and 20 points over more than 70 games would make him exactly the kind of piece Edmonton needs.
He already showed he can fit with Trent Frederic and Colton Dach, a trio that developed chemistry late last season. That kind of line can bring an identity, and for Samanski, identity may be the key to unlocking more production.
There’s also room for more responsibility on the penalty kill. Samanski logged 11:07 shorthanded last season and wasn’t on the ice for a goal against, which is a strong result for a rookie.
With Matt Savoie expected to miss some time with injury, there’s an opening there. Savoie led the forward group in shorthanded ice time, so Edmonton has a real hole to fill.
Samanski has already shown enough to earn a longer look, and 70-plus minutes shorthanded would be a reasonable next step. If he becomes a steady penalty killer and helps push Edmonton toward the league’s top 10, that would be a major win.
The floor here is pretty safe. Even in a down season, Samanski should remain a high-IQ, defense-first centre who doesn’t hurt you.
The real question is whether the offense starts to catch up. Last season’s scoring was thin, and if he plays most of the year, eight goals should be the baseline.
Edmonton doesn’t need him to be a star. It just needs him to grow into the role he already started to claim.
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