Edmonton Oilers forward played for OJHL’s Brantford 99ers/Milton Icehawks as 16-year-old
Former Ontario Junior Hockey League forward Josh Samanski is going to the Olympics.
Samanski, who played for the Brantford 99ers/Milton Icehawks (now the King Rebellion), has been named to Team Germany for the 2026 Milano-Cortana Winter Olympics. He joined the Edmonton Oilers last week.
Samanski had 25 points (13 goals/12 assists) in 54 games with Brantford/Milton during the 2018-19 OJHL season.
“It was a dream of mine to both play a game in the NHL and to go to the Olympics, so it’s pretty hard to compare,” the 23-year-old native of Erding, Germany, near Munich, told the Edmonton Journal. “I’m really excited about both opportunities.”
Germany meets Denmark Feb. 12 in its first game at the Olympics.
The dual citizen was an OHL free agent before signing with the Owen Sound Attack in June 2019. He had four goals and 16 assists in 54 games with the Attack in 2019-20.
Samanski, who returned to Germany to play from 2020-25, represented his country at two World Junior Championship tournaments.
Samanski played his youth hockey in his native land, including time with the national U16 program. He netted 106 points in 36 games with the Jungadler Mannheim U16 club team during 2017-18.
Samanski’s father, John, played for his hometown Oshawa Legionnaires before winning an NCAA championship at Bowling Green in 1984. He settled in Germany where he played from 1985 to 2001 and coached from 2003-18.
Now 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Josh made his NHL debut with the Oilers on Jan. 26 after being called up from the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League. He has two assists in four NHL games.
Edmonton signed him as a free agent to a two-year, $1.95-million entry-level contract on April 2, 2025.
The Oilers honoured their three 2026 Olympians during a pregame ceremony last night: Samanski and Leone Draisaitl of Team Germany and Canada’s Connor McDavid.
“I am just very grateful to be able to live my dream,” Samanski told the Edmonton Journal. “To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it too much. I’m kind of just living in the moment right now and taking it in.
“So, once the season’s over — and it’s still a long time until then — then I’ll have time to reflect on what happened this year. I’m concentrating on winning games here and then go to Milan and concentrate on helping my team win there.”
Samanski is one of seven very athletic children. Four play hockey and one plays pro basketball. Sister Lilly is a pole vaulter at the University of Oklahoma. And there’s a dressage rider.
