Samuelsson might have made the opening night roster last season had it not been for a blocked shot in the Prospects Challenge that forced him to miss all of training camp. Instead, he joined the Sabres in January and made an immediate impact, quickly entrenching himself as an everyday player.
"And very few guys are impact upon entry in the NHL. He was from day one," Granato said. "And that's a testament to not only his present ability, but his potential."
He elevated to the top defense pair alongside Rasmus Dahlin by the time the season ended. He averaged 21:19 of ice time in 22 games from March 10 on, during which he led the team in hits (63) and blocked shots (32). His athleticism showed while defending on the rush, when he routinely stripped used his 6-foot-4 length to strip the puck from oncoming opponents.
"I can't wait to play with that guy," Dahlin said. "He's such an amazing player, but also such an amazing guy. I'm very happy he signed long term here. We're going to have a lot a lot of good years."
That feeling is mutual, too. Samuelsson explained why he sees Buffalo as a long-term fit.
"I think it's just the group of guys we have in this locker room, the characters we have and how we approach every day," he said. "I know Okie said it a couple times, it's just so much fun to come to the rink every day. You wake up every morning and your body's hurting like everyone else, but you're just excited to come to work with everybody and get better.
"I mean, I love the game, I love coming to the rink every day and trying to get better. It's just kind of a weight lifted off my shoulders. Now I can just play with the guys in this room and not worry about anything."