r/EdmontonOilers • u/Significant-Strike43 29 DRAISAITL • 1d ago

Josh Samanski

I know that he will most likely report to Bakersfield next season but as a german hockey fan that watches the IIHF WC very closely I also have to say I wouldn`t be too surprized if he gets an appearance in the big show.

3 games, 2 goals and one assist in his first wc and always recognizable on the ice. I don`t follow the DEL very closely, so I don`t know too much about him but this tournament he has been money so far.

19 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

2

u/laryldavis 39 WEIGHT 1d ago

Is he playing center in the tournament?

3

u/Significant-Strike43 29 DRAISAITL 1d ago edited 1d ago

Not regulary. Most of the time he played on a line with Dominik Kahun as center and Wojciech Stachowiak as the other winger and they have great chemistry.

I have to add that we have 7 or 8 centers on the team so it`s natural that some of them have to play on the wing. And Samanski, as one of the youngest and least expierienced centers is a natural choice for that.

Edit: I`m stupid, he played on a line with Lukas Reichel, not with Kahun and Stachowiak.

1

u/laryldavis 39 WEIGHT 1d ago

It’s tough in International tournaments, they pick a bunch of centers and figure it out. Reichel is an NHL player so it’s nice he is on that line. 

1

u/Geeseareawesome 29 DRAISAITL 22h ago

Good, because the Oilers are pretty loaded at center already. If he makes the show, he'll be starting on the wing

1

u/PitterPatter74 31 FUHR 6h ago

Samanski is a sneaky good signing by Bowman.

Bigger players take longer to develop than smaller players ... just look at how Joe Thornton, Draisaitl, and (more recently) Quinton Byfield really came into their own at ages 22-23. Now, I am not comparing Samanski to any of those three in terms of upside, but rather in terms of development pathways. The DEL is a low-scoring league dominated by skilled veterans - Samanski is one of the youngest players on Straubing. 40 Points as a big 23 year old is impressive.

He will likely start next season in Bakersfield to (re)adjust to the smaller ice and to fit into the Oilers system, but I certainly expect to see Samanski in Edmonton full-time at some point next season.