Josh
Samanski
C · EDM · Defensive · Around average
- PAL
- 42
- WAR
- 0.3
- Value
- 56
- PTS
- 4
2025-26№ 279 / 615
Josh Samanski (Edmonton Oilers) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Josh Samanski
#81CPlays: Centre · 60% of faceoffs
Edmonton Oilers
HEIGHT : 188 cm · WEIGHT : 90 kg · SHOOTS : L
Born : March 21, 2002 · Erding, Germany
Contract : $975,000 · 2025-26 → 2026-27 · Entry-Level Contract · RFA · Signing bonus $97,500
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Edmonton Oilers | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 2025-26 | Edmonton Oilers | 24 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| NHL totals | 30 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Edmonton Oilers | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Playoff totals | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
Josh Samanski: our analysis
2025-26 season: 24 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 4 PTS, +2 +/-, 10:34 TOI. WAR 0.3 (279th of 615) · PAL 42, around average.
Josh Samanski is in his first season in the league. In 2025-26, He posts a PAL Rating of 42 out of 100 (around average), and his WAR of 0.3 ranks 279th among 615 regulars, in the top half.
His strengths: defense (89, among the best in the league). On the other hand, creation (8, among the weakest in the league) and discipline (14, among the weakest in the league) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: finishing (+0.9); his biggest cost: penalties (-0.3).
Contract-wise, his Value score of 56 (good value) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Josh Samanski's story
Growing up in Erding, Josh Samanski spent his childhood in an environment steeped in hockey; his father John having been a professional player opened doors and perspectives, and Josh later added Canadian citizenship through his father while keeping strong ties to German hockey.
He cut his teeth with Jungadler Mannheim, where one season saw him pile up points at a prolific rate in the Schüler-BL. Seeking tougher competition, he crossed the Atlantic for a single season with the Owen Sound Attack in the OHL — a step that exposed him to North American junior hockey and readied him for the professional ranks.
Samanski turned pro with the Straubing Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in 2021–22 and developed into a key figure for the club, earning the role of alternate captain for 2024–25. Edmonton signed him on 2 April 2025 to a two-year deal, and he made his NHL debut on 26 January 2026. After collecting his first NHL point in his third game and spending a short stint with the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL, he returned to the Oilers after the Olympic break and finished the season in Edmonton, scoring his first NHL goal on 21 March.
Internationally, Samanski has represented Germany across age levels. He played at the World Junior Championships in 2021 and 2022, serving as an alternate captain in the latter tournament. He was part of Germany’s roster for the 2025 IIHF World Championships and was named to the national team for the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he registered one goal and one assist in five games. He was also added to Germany’s roster for the 2026 World Championships on 6 May 2026.
On the ice, Samanski is defined by steady progression: a scorer in German junior ranks who tested himself in the OHL, then built professional responsibility in the DEL before earning an NHL opportunity. His career so far shows adaptability and an ability to translate junior production into roles at higher levels.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 7:44
- PP TOI/GP
- 0:21
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:00
- Pts/GP
- 0.17
- EV points
- 1
- Hits
- 1
- Blocks
- 4
- Takeaways
- 1
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 34.6 %
- Off. zone starts
- 32.5 %
- Faceoffs
- 52.8 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
5between 1 and 16 (80% range)
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 4
- Games
- 30
So far: 1 pts in 6 games. The team has played 18 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.17 pts per game (last season: 0.17).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 20 %
74
Established NHL
- SK
- Skating
- 70
- Confidence 40 %
- ST
- Strength
- 75
- Confidence 24 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 60
- Confidence 50 %
- DU
- Durability
- 56
- Confidence 40 %
- CK
- Checking
- 77
- Confidence 24 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 80
- Confidence 13 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 65
- Confidence 24 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 73
- Confidence 20 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 72
- Confidence 20 %
- DF
- Defense
- 85
- Confidence 17 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 40
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating70
- Top speed (35 %)35.6 · 66
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)6.352 · 77
- Distance /60 (20 %)16.2 · 72
- Speed consistency (15 %)35.2 · 71
ST — Strength75
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)4.001 · 74
- Body mass (50 %)-0.116 · 76
EN — Endurance60
- Ice time per game (45 %)13.5 · 68
- Total ice time (20 %)252 · 35
- Shift length (15 %)42.6 · 65
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)12.2 · 68
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)1.812 · 66
DU — Durability56
- Share of games played (100 %)0.655 · 56
CK — Checking77
- Hits /60 (70 %)5.013 · 78
- Season volume (10 %)3.332 · 62
FG — Fighting80
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.931 · 80
DI — Discipline65
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)-0.01 · 65
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.661 · 73
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.603 · 67
PA — Passing73
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.596 · 71
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.439 · 72
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)0.033 · 74
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)4.799 · 80
SC — Scoring72
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.76 · 74
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.66 · 64
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)0.038 · 79
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)1.101 · 67
- xG per shot (10 %)0.082 · 72
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)11 · 68
DF — Defense85
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)0.032 · 77
- Relative xG against (20 %)-0.259 · 89
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.354 · 90
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.023 · 77
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-1.292 · 77
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)54.7 · 90
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)3.108 · 82
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience40
- Career regular-season games (65 %)45
- Career playoff games (25 %)34
- NHL seasons (10 %)24
OV — Overall74
- SC · Scoring (20 %)72
- PA · Passing (20 %)73
- DF · Defense (20 %)85
- SK · Skating (12 %)70
- EN · Endurance (8 %)60
- DI · Discipline (5 %)65
- ST · Strength (3 %)75
- CK · Checking (2 %)77
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
0.3
wins above replacement
279 of 615
PAL Rating
42/ 100
Performance · Around average
262 of 476 at the position
Value Rating
56/ 100
Good value
0.98 M$ · expected PAL 37
ProfileDefensiveValue comes mostly from defense
- Offense
- 19
- Defense
- 82
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 21
- Creation
- 8
- Shooting
- 26
- Possession
- 58
- Defense
- 89
- Discipline
- 14
- Power play
- 42
- Penalty kill
- 44
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
10/ 100
Low
better than 10% of forwards, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
0/ 100
Low
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
60/ 100
Average
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 380 of 424 forwards.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 21
- Shot selection
- 5
- Penalties drawn
- 18
- Puck management
- 9
Defense
- Takeaways
- 85
- Discipline
- 32
- Safe zone exits
- 51
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
0.3
wins above replacement
-0.1 to 0.6 — 90% interval
279 of 615 forwards
+1.4 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- -0.2
- EV defense
- +0.3
- Power play
- 0.0
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- +0.9
- Penalties
- -0.3
- Average → replacement
- +0.7
In goals.
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 95.4 km/h3rd percentileleague avg. 130.1 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 34.0 km/h20th percentileleague avg. 35.2 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 515th percentileleague avg. 21
- Offensive zone time
- 37.8 %10th percentileleague avg. 43.1 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 12.8 km13th percentileleague avg. 52.2 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 2.54 km2nd percentileleague avg. 4.52 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 37.0 %4th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
- Neutral zone time
- 19.3 %95th percentileleague avg. 16.8 %
- Defensive zone time
- 42.9 %17th percentileleague avg. 40.1 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 02nd percentile | 024th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| High danger | 08th percentile | 034th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Mid range | 010th percentile | 054th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Long range | 031st percentile | 092nd percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
UTA
LAK
SJS
ANA
SEA
VANJosh Samanski: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Josh Samanski have in 2026-27?
Josh Samanski has 0 goals and 1 point (1 assist) in 6 games in 2026-27.
How old is Josh Samanski?
Josh Samanski is 24 years old: he was born on March 22, 2002.
How tall is Josh Samanski, and how much does he weigh?
Josh Samanski is 6'2" (188 cm) and weighs 198 lb (90 kg).
Where is Josh Samanski from?
Germany: Josh Samanski was born in Erding, Germany.
What team does Josh Samanski play for?
Josh Samanski plays for the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL, at C, wearing number 81.
Is Josh Samanski injured?
No: Josh Samanski is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Josh Samanski?
Josh Samanski produced 0.3 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 279th of 615 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 42 out of 100: around average for his position.
How much does Josh Samanski make?
Josh Samanski earns $975K for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 56 out of 100 (good value): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Josh Samanski's contract end?
Josh Samanski's contract runs through the 2026-27 season; he will then be a restricted free agent.
Is Josh Samanski overpaid?
No, he gives more than he costs. His Value rating is 56 out of 100 (good value), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Josh Samanski a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 279th of 615 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
How has Josh Samanski played lately?
Over his last 6 games, Josh Samanski has 1 point (0 goals, 1 assist).
What are Josh Samanski's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Josh Samanski has 30 games, 2 goals, 3 assists and 5 points. His best season: 2025-26, with 4 points in 24 games.
How does Josh Samanski perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Josh Samanski has 5 games and 2 points in his career. His pace (0.40 points per game) is higher than his regular-season pace (0.17).
Which player is most similar to Josh Samanski?
Arshdeep Bains: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Arshdeep Bains's page →Is Josh Samanski a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 5 points in 2026-27, or 0.17 points per game.
Is Josh Samanski related to anyone famous?
Yes: John (father, former professional hockey player).
What is Josh Samanski's nationality?
Josh Samanski is German. Internationally: has represented Germany: World Junior Championships 2021 and 2022 (alternate captain in 2022); 2025 IIHF World Championship; named to Germany's 2026 Olympic roster (1 goal and 1 assist in 5 games); added to Germany's roster for the 2026 World Championship (announced May 6, 2026).
Where did Josh Samanski play before turning pro?
played for Jungadler Mannheim (Schüler-BL); spent one season in the OHL with the Owen Sound Attack.
How many points is Josh Samanski projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 5 points in 30 games in 2026-27 (1 to 16 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Edmonton Oilers teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)