The Edmonton Oilers will be sending a handful of players to the upcoming edition of the IIHF World Championship.
Among them, defensemen Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse will represent Canada at the tournament, while Isaac Howard will join the American entry for the second consecutive edition.
But the two tournament heavyweights won't be the only ones with players from the Oilers on their roster. Germany recently named Oilers forward Joshua Samanski to their roster for the upcoming edition of the IIHF World Championship.
That said, Samanski would be the only Oiler to be named to the German roster. Superstar forward Leon Draisaitl, who was part of Germany's entry for the 2026 Winter Olympics, was not named to the roster. The sporting director for Germany's ice hockey federation, Christian Künast, commented on the news, saying that Draisaitl's health was prioritized when it came to roster-related decisions.
It is normal for big-name players like Draisaitl to miss out on the opportunity to play in the World Championship. The later rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs coincide with the tournament, and the vast majority of players who are from participating nations tend to prioritize club commitments over the tournament. There are cases where teams eliminated from the playoffs allow players to attend the tournament, though this would only be the case for clubs eliminated in the first round.
Who else is on Germany's World Championship roster?
Besides Samanski, who recorded four points through 24 games played this season, there are several current and former NHL players who will be appearing for Germany at the IIHF World Championship.
Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer will be between the pipes for the German entry. The 14-year veteran has been with the Kraken since the team began play in 2021; he started all 14 of their playoff games in 2023. Through 365 career starts, Grubauer has a 179-151-37 record and a net 0.908 save percentage.
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider will also make an appearance for the German senior team at the IIHF World Championship. The fifth-year player made his debut in the 2021-22 campaign, recording 50 points through 82 games played. He's also recorded at least 40 points in each of his five seasons played to this date; his 2025-26 campaign saw him record 60 points, a total that included 10 goals and 50 assists. The 2026 World Championship will act as the sixth edition in which Seider participates.
Some of the former NHL players appearing for Germany include Lausanne HC forward Dominik Kahun, who actually used to play for the Edmonton Oilers during the 2020-21 campaign.
Germany's first game of the tournament will take place against Finland on Friday.
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