Injuries to Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark have opened the door for the two young forwards to earn an opening-night roster spot, and each feels he is ready to take the next step after promising first seasons.
“Now that I know what’s ahead for me, I know what I have to do,” Samanski said on the opening day of Oilers rookie camp on Friday. “Last year was new for me and I didn’t know what was coming and I think the difference for me this year is that I know what’s coming. I didn’t worry about it too much and just prepared for what’s ahead and it gives me a little better feeling heading into it.”
Samanski had four points (two goals, two assists) in 24 games for Edmonton last season. He was recalled from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League on Jan. 26 and returned to Edmonton shortly after the Winter Olympics where he played for Team Germany. He had 31 points (eight goals, 23 assists) in 45 games with Bakersfield.
The Olympic experience proved to be big for the 24-year-old, who played on Germany’s top line with Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl.
“That definitely gave me a little confidence boost playing with and against the best players in the world, that helps you out with that,” Samanski said. “I was lucky enough that not only there, but here I was able to learn a lot from the older guys and the veteran players, and it made me feel really comfortable. So, I thought I learned a lot last year.”
Having Draisaitl as a teammate in Edmonton helped Samanski make a smooth transition to the NHL. He finished the season with the Oilers and went on to play five games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and had a goal and assist.
“Obviously (Draisaitl) is a person that most, if not all young players, look up to and I was lucky enough to learn from him, and just to have him there and be able to talk to him about anything, not just hockey-related stuff, was really good for me,” Samanski said. “It was also nice to have someone there that reminds you of home, even if it’s speaking German every once in a while, that’s really good.”
Samanski proved to be a reliable two-way forward for the Oilers towards the end of the season. He’s expected to battle for a spot centering a checking line. Janmark, who plays in the bottom six, is recovering from surgery in March for an undisclosed injury.
Howard wants to challenge for a top-six spot vacated by Savoie, who is recovering from an undisclosed injury sustained in the offseason.
“I think I definitely can and I don’t have to overthink it or do anything like that,” Howard said. “I just have to come ready, play hard, compete hard and just showcase myself.”
Howard had 50 points (24 goals, 26 assists) in 47 games in Bakersfield and five points (two goals, three assists) in 29 games with Edmonton last season.
“I think to my standards, last season wasn’t what I wanted, but I think there was a lot of great lessons I took from it and helped me grow as a player,” Howard said. “I’ve come back better for this camp more prepared and better overall.”
The 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner as the best player in the NCAA set a high bar for himself. The 22-year-old was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning with the No. 31 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Howard was acquired by Edmonton from Tampa Bay in exchange for forward Sam O’Reilly on July 8, 2025.
“I thought I was successful in Bakersfield, and I want to be successful here in Edmonton and have a great year here,” Howard said. “There were lots of positives taken from that and I think I was able to become a better player and a better person, and I think sometimes those things are necessary. Of course, with my standards I want to have a good year here and I definitely have some room to grow and to continue to grow.”
Howard had 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games in his final season with Michigan State University in 2024-25. He had hoped to make the jump directly into the NHL last season, but after 17 games and three points (two goals, one assist) in Edmonton, the decision was made to send him to Bakersfield.
In the AHL, Howard was able to work on all facets of his game and was a more well-rounded player when he was recalled on Jan. 3 to play an 11-game stint with Edmonton.
“It was amazing just getting down there and working with the coaching staff, they were awesome,” Howard said. “I spent a lot of time with (coach) Colin Chaulk just going over my game details and how we can get better. I watched a lot of video and asked a lot of questions, just learning. I was put in a lot of different situations, which I think is really important and I think that helped me a lot.”
