Oilers 2026-27 Player Previews: Josh Samanski

The 2026-27 season starts this month, so let’s continue our Edmonton Oilers player preview series. Yesterday we looked at Isaac Howard, and now we are focusing on another player looking to establish himself.

Josh Samanski broke onto the scene halfway through last season. He made his NHL debut on Jan. 26 against the Anaheim Ducks, and finished the campaign with two goals and four points in 24 games. He also added one goal and two points in five playoff games.

The 24-year-old started the season on the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League (AHL), recording eight goals and 31 points in 45 games. He also represented Germany at the 2026 Olympic Games alongside teammate Leon Draisaitl, scoring one goal and logging two points in five games. The undrafted forward came out of nowhere and stole a roster spot.

He became a reliable fourth-line centre. He averaged 10:34 per game last season and had a plus-2 rating. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is a defensively responsible, two-way centre who makes smart plays, and he showed that last season. He didn’t demonstrate much offence in his limited time, but he has potential. He’s still learning how to play at the NHL level. Let’s preview his 2026-27 season.

Samanski Doesn’t Have Competition

Samanski should easily make the team out of camp and be the fourth-line centre because he has limited competition. The Oilers have a ton of players competing for bottom-six spots, but they aren’t centres. Mathieu Joseph, Colton Dach, Max Jones, Eduards Tralmaks, Mattias Janmark, and Alex Formenton are all in the mix to crack the roster, but they are wingers. They could experiment with other players at centre, but that’s risky.

Trent Frederic has played some centre in the past, but he didn’t find success. They could also try Dach up the middle. Those are both unappealing options because they are better on the wing, with less responsibility.

They could also shuffle the forward group and have Ryan Nugent-Hopkins as their third-line centre, while bumping Jason Dickinson to the fourth line. That should only be an option if Samanski struggles immensely.

Best Case Scenario

The best-case scenario is that Samanski solidifies himself as the full-time fourth-line centre and adds more offence. The Oilers require more depth scoring, so the fourth line must be productive. The defensive side is the hardest to learn at this level, but Samanski has thrived in that role. His offensive side is the only thing holding him back. If he can figure that out and generate around the net, he will be a well-rounded player and the perfect depth piece.