Oilers 2026 Prospect Countdown No. 12: Samuel Jonsson

How has Samuel Jonsson developed in Sweden and the ECHL?

During his draft year, the 201-lb. goalie started in 31 games at the J20 Nationell level with Brynas IF (Sweden’s under-20 league now named the U20 Nationell), and Jonsson finished the season with a 9-20-0 record, a 3.25 goals against average, and a 0.833 save percentage. Brynas IF was not a good team in 2022, they ended the season with seven wins in 27 games, with their leading point scorer having 34 points in 45 games. The following season in 2023, Brynas won 11 games, but this was Jonsson’s first season showcasing his true ability. The former fifth-rounder won 13 games with a 2.65 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage, this season was a good indicator that good things are on the horizon.

After aging out of the under-20 league, Jonsson went to the HockeyAllsvenskan league in Sweden to continue his journey. The 2023-2024 season was a tough one for the 2022 selection; Jonsson only started in eight total games across two teams (BIK Karlskoga and Stromsbro IF), and his numbers were horrendous. I think that’s what makes Jonsson’s 2024-2025 season incredibly intriguing. After having one of, if not the worst season of his career, the tall Swede bounced back massively with a full season in the BIK Karlskoga program. In 24 games, Jonsson won 17 of them, had a 1.88 goals-against average, a 0.922 save percentage, and had six shutouts. After the outstanding season, the Oilers goaltending prospect was named the Goaltender of the Year for the HockeyAllsvenskan league. The cherry on top for Jonsson’s 2024-25 season was when he signed his entry-level contract with the Oilers in April.

All of that background leads us to his first season in North America, playing for the Oilers ECHL affiliate, the Fort Wayne Komets. The goaltending position in Fort Wayne was shared between Samuel Jonsson, who started 33 games (2.38 goals-against average and 0.910 save percentage) and Oilers 2023 sixth-round pick Nathaniel Day, who played in 39 games (2.76 goals-against average and a 0.893 save percentage). The Komets were a good team during this past season, and both goalies ended with excellent records; however, there is a noticeable jump in Jonsson’s save percentage compared to Day’s. Barring any changes, I see Day and Jonsson sharing the crease again to start 2026.

What are Samuel Jonsson’s key strengths and areas for improvement?

The first thing that stands out in my viewings of the 22-year-old goaltending prospect is his excellent work with his hands. At 6-foot-5, and 201 lbs., he has great reflexes with both his glove and blocker side; not only do Jonsson’s reactions help, but he has his hands out and ready for action.

Other than the third clip, there isn’t much traffic in front of Jonsson, so you expect him to get something on the puck, but in a lot of instances when the puck is elevated, there isn’t any panic, and the Fort Wayne backstop is able to locate the puck in a safe area if he can’t cover it instantly. Even during the second clip, Jonsson is able to slide across and pick off a very well placed one-timer, sending the puck to the corner. In the third video I didn’t love his push off the post and how he was barely challenging the shooter; however, Jonsson makes the great save with his blocker. The reactions and ability to control rebounds with his hands stood out in all my viewings. The next strength of the netminder is his ability to read the play. I brought it up before, and I’ll say it again, but being able to read the shooter’s stick blade helps the goalie stay proactive. The next three clips show that Jonsson has a great understanding of who/what is the threat on the ice.

The first clip above outlines beautifully why I think Samuel Jonsson has a strong hockey IQ. Instead of going down into the butterfly, he stays tall in his crease, makes the easy save, and makes sure there isn’t a rebound. Jonsson could have gone into RVH (reverse vertical horizontal) and hugged his post from his knees, but he chose to stay up. The second video is among the same discussion as well; Jonsson notifies the threat on the dot, makes one shuffle, and gets his shoulder to the puck. The final grainy clip shows more of the blade reading that I was talking about. Jonsson’s feet and timing are nearly perfect with the shooter. The former HockeyAllsvenskan goalie of the year has a high-end feeling and understanding of the game.

My main worry is sometimes Jonsson can struggle with his pad work and rebound control low, but there are times when he can make a great recovery with his feet and make the save. Here are just a few examples.

Don’t quote me, but for some reason I believe the Bauer pads that Jonsson uses help kick the puck out further on rebounds, allowing for not only a further second chance but also additonal time to set up. When Jonsson has time to locate the puck and react, he is fine, but if the puck drops in front of him, I saw him have some troubles.

Samuel Jonsson’s 2026-27 projection and NHL timelines

Like Eemil Vinni, Jonsson has a good ceiling as a prospect, but the clock is ticking. This season is his second year in North America, and it’s his age 23 season. With the crowded pipeline in the Edmonton organization, any prolonged stretch of bad play can set you back. But standing at 6-foot-5 with the strong skating ability, excellent reactions, and great ability to read the game, I’m willing to give Jonsson the time he needs.

Matt Tomkins and Connor Ungar are only signed for this year, and I feel like the organization will move on from Tomkins opening at least one spot in the crease with Bakersfield. My money is on Jonsson to take that spot and play his first full year in the AHL during the 2027-28 season.

I can see a path for Jonsson to be at least a backup goalie, but whenever he gets comfortable in a league he starts to produce some great numbers. The earliest I think Oilers fans will see the big Swede is during the 2029-30 season, but goalies are voodoo and maybe we see Jonsson earlier or never.

Top 20 Oilers prospects for 2026-27