Oilers make surprising AHL roster move and fans aren't too happy
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Oilers loaned forward Josh Samanski to the Bakersfield Condors on Monday, leaving him off the opening night roster and frustrating plenty of fans.
The Edmonton Oilers have loaned Josh Samanski to the Bakersfield Condors, and plenty of fans are not happy about it.
The move came Monday and means the big center will open the season in the AHL.
Samanski went into training camp expected to compete for a checking-line center spot.
He will be left off the opening night roster, though, because Owen Michaels is staying with the NHL club.
Most fans had never heard of him when the Oilers signed him on April 2, 2025.
He was undrafted and coming off four seasons with the Straubing Tigers in Germany's top league.
Why fans are upset
Supporters watched him earn every bit of his opportunity.
He played 24 regular season games for Edmonton last year, scoring two goals and adding two assists, and he scored in his playoff debut.
He also suited up for Germany at the Olympics in Milano Cortina alongside Leon Draisaitl, which helped turn him into a fan favorite in Oil Country.
So the frustration makes sense. To a lot of people, it looks like a guy who did everything right and still got shipped out.
What happens next
The good news is that this is a loan, not a goodbye.
Samanski is still under contract on the two-year deal he signed in 2025, and he was already called up on an emergency basis last March, so Edmonton knows he can step in quickly.
In Bakersfield last season, he centered the top line and finished with 31 points in 45 games.
He also killed penalties and handled faceoffs.
Injuries always hit during an NHL season, so expect fans to keep a close eye on the call-up list.
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