Sam Poulin (ice hockey)

Sam Poulin
Born (2001-02-25) February 25, 2001
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 217 lb (98 kg; 15 st 7 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams
Edmonton Oilers
Bakersfield Condors (AHL)
Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL draft 21st overall, 2019
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 2021–present

Samuel Poulin (born February 25, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 21st overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2019 NHL entry draft.

Playing career

Poulin was selected by the Sherbrooke Phoenix of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in the 2017 QMJHL Draft.[1]

Poulin was drafted 21st overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2019 NHL entry draft.[2][3][4] He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Penguins on September 22, 2019.[5]

Poulin served as Sherbrooke's captain during his final two seasons with the team from 2019 to 2021.[6] In January 2021, Sherbrooke traded Poulin to the Val-d'Or Foreurs.[7]

Poulin made his professional debut for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) in the 2021–22 AHL season.[8]

On October 25, 2022, Poulin made his NHL debut; he recorded one assist for his first career NHL point in a 4–1 loss to the Calgary Flames.[9] Poulin took a leave of absence from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in December 2022 to address mental health concerns after suffering a panic attack during a game.[10] He returned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in March 2023.[8]

Poulin began the 2023–24 AHL season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He was injured on October 29, 2023, suffering a high-ankle sprain, and returned to the line-up on December 16.[11][12] He sustained a separate lower-body injury on February 3, and returned to the lineup on March 1.[12][13] On April 29, 2024, Pittsburgh re-signed Poulin to a two-year contract extension.[6]

On April 15, 2025, Poulin was named Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Man of the Year for the 2024–25 AHL season.[14]

Edmonton Oilers

On December 12, 2025, Pittsburgh traded Poulin and goaltender Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenceman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round draft pick.[15][16]

International play

Poulin represented the Canada under-18 team at the 2019 World U18 Championships.[17]

Personal life

Poulin's father, Patrick, was chosen ninth overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1991 NHL entry draft. He would score 101 goals in 634 career NHL games, and would play for the Whalers, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Montreal Canadiens during his 11-year career spanning from 1991 to 2002.[18]

Poulin's godfather is former Penguins goaltender Jocelyn Thibault, who served as the general manager of the Sherbrooke Phoenix.[1]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2015–16 Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix QMAAA 38 21 27 48 14 11 3 10 13 4
2016–17 Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix QMAAA 39 30 38 68 50 5 0 5 5 6
2017–18 Sherbrooke Phoenix QMJHL 55 16 29 45 42 11 5 1 6 6
2018–19 Sherbrooke Phoenix QMJHL 67 29 47 76 46 10 8 6 14 4
2019–20 Sherbrooke Phoenix QMJHL 46 32 45 77 47
2020–21 Sherbrooke Phoenix QMJHL 5 3 3 6 4
2020–21 Val-d'Or Foreurs QMJHL 19 8 17 25 10 15 11 8 19 12
2021–22 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 72 16 21 37 51 6 3 1 4 6
2022–23 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 15 4 0 4 6
2022–23 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 3 0 1 1 2
2023–24 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 41 16 15 31 35 2 0 1 1 0
2023–24 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 3 0 0 0 2
2024–25 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 57 19 24 43 34 2 0 1 1 2
2024–25 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 7 0 1 1 2
2025–26 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 22 9 11 20 18
2025–26 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 2 0 0 0 0
NHL totals 15 0 2 2 6

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2017 Canada White U17 4th 6 0 3 3 0
2018 Canada HG18 5 0 1 1 0
2019 Canada U18 4th 7 1 1 2 2
Junior totals 18 1 5 6 2

References

  1. ^ a b "Phoenix Draft Recap". June 23, 2017.
  2. ^ "2019 Penguins Draft Tracker: Penguins Select LW Samuel Poulin 21st Overall". KDKA-TV. June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  3. ^ "Penguins Select Samuel Poulin in the First Round of the 2019 NHL Draft". National Hockey League. June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  4. ^ Mackey, Jason (June 21, 2019). "'He's a guy we liked a lot': Penguins take Samuel Poulin in first round". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  5. ^ "Poulin signs three-year, entry-level contract with Penguins". nhl.com. September 22, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Penguins Re-Sign Forward Sam Poulin to a Two-Year Contract". Pittsburgh Penguins. April 29, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  7. ^ Rorabaugh, Seth (February 1, 2021). "Penguins Prospect Watch: Nathan Legare, Sam Poulin debut for Val-d'Or Foreurs". TribLIVE.com.
  8. ^ a b "Pittsburgh Penguins' Sam Poulin set to return after leave of absence for mental health reasons". Daily Faceoff.
  9. ^ "Kadri's 3-point game powers Flames to 4–1 win over Penguins". ESPN. October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  10. ^ "Breaking the Ice on Mental Health: Sam Poulin Opens Up | Pittsburgh Penguins". www.nhl.com. January 13, 2025.
  11. ^ Kingerski, Dan (December 16, 2023). "Penguins Prospect Sam Poulin Back from Injury; Scores Quick Goal".
  12. ^ a b "Penguins' Sam Poulin 'came a long way' on and off ice in last year". DK Pittsburgh Sports. March 19, 2024.
  13. ^ "Sam Poulin Has "Come a Long Way" Since Last Year | Pittsburgh Penguins". www.nhl.com. March 26, 2024.
  14. ^ Hart, Nick (April 15, 2025). "SAM POULIN NAMED PENGUINS' MAN OF THE YEAR".
  15. ^ "Skinner, Kulak traded to Penguins by Oilers for Jarry". National Hockey League. December 12, 2025. Retrieved December 12, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ "Oilers acquire Jarry from Penguins for Skinner, Kulak and pick". Sportsnet. December 12, 2025. Retrieved December 12, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Rosters". www.hockeycanada.ca.
  18. ^ "Poulin Family Makes Mad Dash to See Sam's NHL Debut | Pittsburgh Penguins". www.nhl.com. October 26, 2022.