Josh Samanski is heading to Bakersfield, and Owen Michaels is still standing in Edmonton. That alone tells the story of a camp that has shifted in a hurry for the Oilers.
When training camp opened, Matt Savoie’s injury looked like it could create an opening for a forward to stick. Samanski had reasons to think he might be that guy. He was on the roster last season, and Edmonton was already dealing with several forwards being out when camp began.
But “probably” never turns into a job by itself. Samanski’s camp was fine, just fine, and that’s often where the trouble starts when the numbers begin to shrink. He didn’t do anything that badly hurt his case, but he also didn’t do enough to make the decision easy.
Michaels, on the other hand, kept forcing the issue.
“Well, he's played well,” Babcock said. “He really can skate, and if you look back at his career, he wasn't a big scorer, so he didn't hang his hat on that.
So he had to be a two-way, very effective player. He won a national championship, so he knows how to win, and he's in all the good clips.”
That’s been the theme around Michaels for the last few days. Babcock has kept pointing to the video, praising the way he keeps ending up in the right spots and stressing that his game isn’t built on trying to outscore what he isn’t doing. The message has been pretty clear: he’s giving the coaching staff reasons to keep him around.
“So it wasn't like we had this plan that he was going here, he wasn't supposed to be here, but that's the great thing about plans - you get to change them,” Babcock said.
For Samanski, the assignment now is straightforward, even if the details are demanding. Edmonton wants him to figure out who he needs to be in the NHL, and that starts with the kind of work that wins trust down the middle.
“Get down there and get to work,” Babcock said of Samanski. “So, the simple thing is you've got to figure out who you're going to be in the National Hockey League, and then when you go down to the AHL, they put you in a totally different role.
“You have to become an elite face-off guy, elite penalty killer, a great two-way defensive center to play here because that's going to be your job,” Babcock said. “In the American League, they want him to be on the power play, play on the first line, do all that. So sometimes it gets in the way, but as a player, you got to learn that.”
That’s the lane Edmonton has laid out for him: win draws, kill penalties, and become someone the Oilers can trust defensively at center. Babcock said Samanski is old enough to know what has to change if he wants his way back.
“He's old enough now to understand that's what he's got to do to get back,” Babcock said.
So yes, the roster movement makes the comparison hard to ignore. Savoie’s injury opened the door, Samanski had a shot at it, and Michaels ended up taking the long look and making it count. Edmonton’s opening-night group against the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow may look different than expected, and Michaels is part of why.
In Other News...
Red Wings Face Growing Pressure In Dylan Larkin Trade Talks
Carson Soucys professional tryout with the Columbus Blue Jackets is starting to look less like a camp storyline and more like a practical solution, with injuries thinning out the defense and coach Rick Bowness already praising what he has seen. Around the league, the rumor mill is busy in a few different directions, from Kirill Marchenkos name coming up in connection with the Toronto Maple Leafs to Edmonton showing interest in Kirby Dach, a reminder that front offices are still sorting through options while camps get underway.
For the Oilers, the Dach chatter is the one to watch because it fits a team that is still looking for another move-up-the-middle possibility, even as the market remains fluid. And while Detroit is drawing plenty of attention in its own Dylan Larkin trade talks, with multiple teams involved and some offers already turned away, Edmontons pursuit of help at center could end up being shaped as much by how those talks evolve as by anything the Oilers can do on their own. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Final Cuts Leave Fans Watching One Opening Night Choice
The Oilers have trimmed their group down to 23 players for the season opener against the Vancouver Canucks, and the final roster decisions came with a few clues about how the coaching staff sees the first night unfolding. Edmonton also laid out its expected forward and defensive pairings, giving fans a clearer picture of the lineup shape as the regular season gets underway.
There was movement at the edges of the roster, with Josh Samanski heading to Bakersfield in the AHL while Owen Michaels remains with the club for opening night. Mike Babcock also confirmed the goaltending plan for the opener, adding another layer to a roster picture that now looks set, even if a few of the choices at the margins will keep drawing attention until puck drop. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Search At Centre Suddenly Carries Two Very Different Stakes
The Oilers search down the middle has taken on a different feel, with Elliotte Friedman reporting on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast that the club has been looking into a right-shot centre. Edmonton has checked on a couple of intriguing names, including Kirby Dach and Shane Wright, as it continues to sort out its depth at the position and consider what kind of help makes the most sense for the roster.
There is a clear split in how those options would fit the team. Dach would bring a more immediate path if Edmonton wants someone who can help sooner, while Wright represents the sort of longer-view swing that would be about more than just this season. No deal has materialized, and no negotiations have been confirmed, but the Oilers appear to be weighing urgency against upside as they size up the market. [Read more 🡒]