The tip-off to where the Edmonton Oilers feel German-born centre Josh Samanski fits in the organizational depth chart came at the first rookie skate Thursday when he was skating between Matt Savoie and Ike Howard.
While Savoie and Howard, college hockey’s best player last season, are the prize prospects, very much in the picture for spots on the wing in the NHL this season, the 6’3” left-shot Samanski figures to start in Bakersfield. But the 23-year-old, who played in the world championship this past spring, on a German line with Chicago winger Lukas Reichel, has a legit shot at being on Germany’s Olympic team next February.
He led Straubing Tigers with 40 points in 52 games last year, then decided on the Oilers on a two-year contract, over several other NHL free-agent suitors, yes, in part because countryman Leon Draisaitl was here. But not totally. Same with playing two U20 world junior championships here with a third scrubbed because of COVID, and one trip to West Edmonton Mall as a team in a cloistered junior experience.
“A couple of messages were exchanged with Leon before I came here, but it was more just reaching out to say if I had any questions (about the NHL), not just about the Oilers, he was there for me. I was excited by that but it didn’t have much bearing on me signing here,” said Samanski.
“Obviously with the person and player he is, it’s awesome for any German player to want to come to Edmonton. He’s very normal, even though he’s a great player. But, everybody knows the Oilers are a great organization (history, five Cups). It was about going somewhere where you are wanted.”
Lots of free agents choose to go to teams with a guarantee of playing in the NHL, but the Oilers are in win-now mode, so Samanski will start in the AHL. He might get Oilers games, though, with his size and how well he played in Germany.
“For me, it’s just the chance,” said Samanski, who is farther along his hockey journey than most prospect Oilers forwards with his time in the DEL after two junior seasons in Ontario, also playing in the World U20 Juniors a few times. His older brother Patrik also played minor midget for the Toronto Red Wings, and Neal in Ontario and B.C. so Canada has long beckoned.
But Josh needs time to get reacquainted with North American hockey.
“Obviously, there’s great players here, and it’s a great team (two straight Cup finals appearances). I can learn from this It’s getting used to the small ice again. I think my game translates pretty well (big size, good skater) but it’s still a learning curve to catch. I’m excited.”
A German-Canadian hybrid
For sure, the Samanskis are a very interesting story.
Josh’s dad, John, born in Oshawa, played college hockey at Bowling Green U in Ohio during the 80s and was on their 1984 NCAA championship team with NHLers to be Garry Galley, Dave Ellett and Gino Cavallini. And, he wasn’t a big offensive player; he scored the tying goal in the last two minutes of the third period against Minnesota-Duluth to kick off the longest NCAA championship game (quadruple OT) in history. He then migrated to Europe to play, eventually playing 17 years in Germany before he turned to coaching.
John’s wife is a special needs teacher, grades three and four, and they have seven kids—hockey-playing sons Patrik, Neal, Josh and Noah, and basketball player Tim—and daughters Lilly, a college pole vaulter, committed to Oklahoma State, and Lucy, a dressage horse rider.
So, athletes, all.
“I don’t know why. Probably have to ask my parents. It’s just been a very active family and with that many siblings, you’re always outside as a kid. I think that shaped us (playing games). Being very competitive. Nobody wants to lose. That’s a good mentality to have,” said Josh.
John, 63, is retired from hockey, helping out his wife at her school, and with their horses. He’s still got a Canadian passport, while Josh is a German-Canadian hybrid.
Josh was born in Erding, where his dad played, the town 10 miles from the Munich airport, a town with the world’s biggest wheat brewery and the world’s biggest spa.
Josh Samanski, left, No. 8 with the DEL Straubing Tigers battles Kyle Cumiskey, No. 16 with DEG on Jan. 10, 2025 at the PSD-BANK Dome in Dusseldorf, Germany. IMAGO/Maximilian Koch via
Josh moved four hours away to Mannheim when he was 13, living in a dorm with other hockey transplants. Draisaitl also played youth hockey there, so a distant connection. After Mannheim, Josh decided to give Canadian hockey a shot at 16. He played a Junior A season in Wayne Gretzky’s hometown Brantford for the 99ers, and then one OHL season in Owen Sound before going back to Germany.
So does Josh consider himself German or Canadian?
“I guess half and half, depends on who’s asking,” laughed Josh, who wanted a North American journey so jumped at the chance to play in Ontario, even briefly, when a teenager.
“I had family in the Toronto area and thought it was a good idea to get used to North American (smaller) ice. It was a good learning experience, for sure,” said Josh, who played 58 OHL games for Owen Sound in 2019-20 but that was it.
“It was a weird time with COVID hitting. I thought I’d go back there but the (OHL) season was cancelled so I got a chance to play in the second German League, then got a contract in the DEL…I thought it might be a step up from junior, so I stayed.”
Transitioning to North American hockey
He’s gotten better every year in Europe. Playing in this past Worlds, with NHLers like fellow centre, Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle, and Detroit D Moritz Seider, was a big deal. He had five points in seven games, got power play time, played big minutes.
“It was a good first World Championship for me, learning how to play at that level. I think I proved I can play against top (NHL) players. I’ve think I’ve got a shot (Olympics). If you don’t think that, there’s no point in being there. I’ll just focus on what’s going on over here but, obviously my goal is to be on that (Olympic) team,” he said.
Oilers farm team coach Colin Chaulk is keen on seeing how Samanski’s game translates to his first pro year in North America. He’s one of those kids who get better, every year. He had eight points his first DEL season in Straubing, then 18, then 27, and the 40 in 52 games last year. He’s got tools, for sure.
“The American Hockey League is a different style, the (ice) surface isn’t that much bigger, but things happen a lot faster,” said Chaulk.
“Let’s use (Swede) Philip Broberg as an example. I had video of Philip getting absolutely hammered on forechecks (playing in the AHL for the first time) because he wasn’t used to it. The forecheck isn’t as prevalent in Europe as North America. However, Josh has played a little in the Ontario Hockey League and the DEL is closer to a North American style (than some other Euro leagues). Still, in my experience, the transition still takes four to six weeks…with the little nuances (of the game),” he said.
“We know that going in with Josh. We just have to be consistent with Josh with our messaging, going through this (learning steps).”
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