Samuel Jonsson is an obscure name for all but the most rabid Edmonton Oilers fans. He has very little draft pedigree, having been chosen No. 158 in the fifth round of the 2022 entry draft.

What makes Jonsson a prospect of interest? Why does he rank No. 3 on the list of Oilers prospects this summer? Jonsson is good at doing the one thing Edmonton’s goalies have found difficult in the last couple of years: stopping pucks.

Jonsson’s 2024-25 season

Jonsson, who will turn 22 just before Christmas, had a strong campaign in the Swedish Allsvenskan league in 2024-25. He won the Goalie of the Year award after leading the league in goals-against average (1.88) and shutouts. He also posted a strong .922 save percentage (second best in the league) for Bofors IK (BIK Karlskoga). The big goaltender (6-foot-5, 201 pounds) followed it up with a 2.15 GAA and .915 save percentage in five postseason games.

Later in the spring, Jonsson signed his entry deal with the Oilers. His resume is uneven over several seasons in various Swedish junior leagues, but 2024-25’s success implies he is putting it all together.

Scouting reports

In December 2022, Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala wrote a brief passage about Jonsson’s progress at that time. “He relies on sitting tall in his butterfly and absorbing pucks by being properly square to the shot. My biggest concern is his lateral tracking and overall quickness. He has a very difficult time moving quickly from side to side when players skate behind his net looking to stuff pucks far post. His second stop reaction and scramble ability are lethargic.”

Those words match the numbers at that point in Jonsson’s career. Plenty of potential from a big and raw goaltending prospect.

Scott Wheeler at The Athletic reported on Jonsson’s progress in January 2025: “He’s a massive goalie (6-foot-5/6 depending on who you ask) who has refined his coordination and control, footwork and habits to complement his natural ability for his size.”

I reached out to former Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Zanier this week. He is a radio analyst for Swedish Elite League games and sees a lot of hockey over the season. He described Jonsson as “a big guy who moves OK. I’m curious to watch his development with the Oil against better shooters and smaller ice. He played on a good team and he was one of the reasons they were good.”

Manda Zanier is a journalist and media producer who has filmed Jonsson’s work in the net during his time in the Allsvenskan. The video evidence shows a big, strong goaltender who moves well laterally (clear improvement since Bakula’s scouting report above), tracks pucks well and looks comfortable in the net. Glove hand is good but needs to improve, and as Zanier noted, the Oilers will want to see him against NHL-level shooters this fall and winter.

The future

Based on all available scouting reports and video, it’s safe to say Jonsson has made significant progress since draft day, and the next step should be the top Swedish league or the AHL this fall.

For the Oilers, Jonsson’s blossoming last season may be a key to solving a major problem. The club flushed AHL starter Olivier Rodrigue (who recently signed in the KHL) over the summer, replacing him with veteran AHL No. 2 goalie Matt Tomkins. Tomkins was backup to Brandon Halvarson with the Syracuse Crunch in 2024-25, playing in 29 games.

A quick look at this year’s depth chart offers some clues about just how much opportunity is available next season in the Bakersfield net.

PlayerAge2024-25 club (Save Pct)

31

AHL (.907)

23

ECHL (.903)

21

Alls. (.922)

20

OHL (.894)

Tomkins is the only goaltender with AHL experience, and has appeared in six NHL games. He has played in strong leagues (AHL, NHL, Swedish Elite League) since 2019-20, and should be expected to spearhead the Condors’ efforts in goal. It’s also true that a late-August trade by Oilers general manager Stan Bowman could place Tomkins in the AHL backup goalie role he filled with Syracuse.

Ungar’s 35 ECHL games one year ago represent all of his pro experience. He may win the backup job in Bakersfield, but his performance last season for the Fort Wayne Komets wasn’t overwhelming. Brett Brochu, the other Fort Wayne goalie in 2024-25, posted a .923 save percentage before signing with ERC Ingolstadt in the German (DEL) league in May.

Allsvenskan is a solid pro league and several NHL goalies have used it as a springboard to North American success. Filip Gustavsson spent time in the league during the pandemic, and used the opportunity to rise from AHL starter to NHL goaltender. Filip Larsson played well in the Allsvenskan in 2023-24 (.920), signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins that summer, and delivered a .910 save percentage for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this past season.

Jonsson is a different prospect because he spiked at a younger age. The progression was quick and there is not a long track record of success at this level, but for the Oilers he offers an opportunity at a position of organizational need.

It may well be a perfect fit.

Nathan Day is the other goalie who will vie for AHL time, but also the most likely to see extended time with the ECHL Komets.

What are the Oilers thinking? 

The Oilers depth chart in goal, and the disappointment of last season, lend themselves to speculation about the future of the position in Edmonton. Based on last season’s workload for Tomkins, Ungar, Jonsson and Day, there’s room for another goaltender who could be on the AHL-NHL shuttle in 2025-26. A goaltender such as Mike DiPietro of the Boston Bruins would be a logical target, and an acquisition between now and training camp would come as no surprise.

Failing that, the organization may see Tomkins as the AHL workhorse, with some combination of Ungar, Jonsson and Day filling in as backups and playing at Fort Wayne.

Jonsson’s season in the Allsvenskan one year ago was intriguing enough to project him ahead of Ungar and Day. Still, Oilers management may add another goalie by opening night, Jonsson could play in Sweden again next season, and it’s possible he regresses and we never hear about him again.

There are 64 pivotal starting jobs (32 in the NHL, 32 in the AHL) in NHL organizations, and the entire league covers three levels with about 150 goaltenders. That’s a shallow talent pool and there is enormous churn on NHL 50-man lists each season.

Jonsson’s advantages are a breakout season in a good league and a real lack of depth at the position for the NHL organization who employs him. Thar’s enough for real traction. Jonsson is worth tracking this season no matter where he plays.

(Photo: Aron Broman /Bildbyran / Sipa USA via AP Images)