Samuel Jonsson is staying in North America, giving Mike Babcock and the Edmonton Oilers another young option in the crease.
Johnsson was acquired by the Oilers in the 2022 NHL draft in New York.
Reports had raised questions about whether Jonsson could leave the organization's North American development path and return to Sweden for the 2026-27 season.
That concern has now eased. Oilers commentator Bob Stauffer reported that all indications point toward Jonsson attending Edmonton's rookie camp in September.
More importantly for the Oilers, the 22-year-old is also expected to play somewhere in North America this season instead of heading back overseas.
Jonsson spent last season with the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets, where he continued moving forward after Edmonton selected him in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft.
He finished the year with a 21-8-2 record and a .910 save percentage, numbers strong enough to keep his place firmly inside Edmonton's goaltending pipeline.
Samuel Jonsson now has a chance to climb Edmonton's depth chart
The next question is where Jonsson lands. Returning to Fort Wayne remains an option, but an opportunity with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors could become available if he pushes during camp.
That makes September more than a routine prospect appearance. Jonsson will have a chance to show Edmonton's new coaching staff that he is ready for a more demanding assignment.
For an Oilers organization still sorting through its long-term options in the crease, keeping Jonsson in North America also makes his progress much easier to monitor.
There is no guarantee that he makes the jump to Bakersfield immediately. Development time matters for goaltenders, and Edmonton does not need to rush him into a role he has not earned.
But the uncertainty surrounding his immediate future has been removed, which gives both Jonsson and the Oilers a much clearer path entering training camp.
The Oilers now know one of their stronger young goaltending prospects will remain inside their system this season. What Jonsson does with that opportunity could determine how quickly he moves up the organizational depth chart.
Will Samuel Jonsson earn an AHL role this season?
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