The Oilers Made a Surprising Move with Josh Samanski

Some hockey moves make you stop for a second. The Edmonton Oilers sending Josh Samanski to Bakersfield is one of them. Samanski played 24 games for the Oilers last season. He also got into five playoff games and went to the Olympics with Germany. He was coming into this training camp with a pretty reasonable chance of winning a checking-line centre job.

Instead, he’s headed back to the AHL. That tells us something about what the Oilers are thinking. And maybe it tells us even more about Owen Michaels. Michaels is the guy staying. That’s what makes this interesting.

Michaels appears to have impressed the Oilers.

The Oilers have been giving Michaels a long look during camp, and he appears to have done enough to stay with the NHL club heading into the season. Edmonton has been experimenting with its centre situation, particularly with Jason Dickinson dealing with an injury setback, and that has opened another door for Michaels.

But this isn't necessarily the Oilers deciding Samanski isn't good enough. It may be more about what they want their young players to do. Samanski already knows what the NHL looks like. He played there last season and showed he could handle a defensive role. He also put up 31 points in 45 AHL games, so there's little question that he can play at that level.

Michaels, meanwhile, may need something different. He needs NHL experience.

Related: The Oilers May Be About to Learn Something Important

Is Michaels close to making an impact for the Oilers?

And if the Oilers believe he is close, keeping him around for the start of the season gives them a chance to find out whether that belief is real. That's important because sometimes the best thing a young player can do is play 18 or 20 minutes a night in Bakersfield.

But sometimes the best thing is to sit in an NHL dressing room, practice with NHL players and get thrown into a game when the opportunity comes. The Oilers appear to be choosing the second option for Michaels. And that may be the real story here.

Samanski isn't being pushed aside because his NHL audition failed. He may simply be the victim of numbers — and the emergence of another young centre the organization wants to look at.

That's also where head coach Mike Babcock comes into this.

A new coach has to figure out what he actually has. Training camp isn't just about picking the 23 best players. It's about figuring out which players can fill which roles when the season gets messy. The Oilers already know something about Samanski. Now they have a chance to learn more about Michaels.

That makes this move a little more interesting than it first appeared. Samanski will probably get plenty of opportunity in Bakersfield. But Michaels just got something much more valuable. A chance to stay and show what he can do.

And sometimes, that's the real message behind an NHL roster decision.

Related: Whatever Happened to Former Oilers Goalie Calvin Pickard?