Samuelsson adds offensive upside to physical game

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Adam Samuelsson can't help but grin when asked to describe his biggest role model, who happens to be his father and former NHL defenseman Ulf Samuelsson.
"He was sort of a tough guy; it's fun searching him on the internet and seeing what he did because it makes me laugh a little," said Samuelsson, who plays for USA Hockey's Under-18 National Team Development Program in the United States Hockey League.

Ulf Samuelsson had 2,453 penalty minutes in 17 NHL seasons to earn the nickname, "Tough Ulf." Adam Samuelsson (6-foot-6, 240 pounds), a left-handed defenseman, might not be as ornery as his dad was when he played in 1,080 NHL games with five different teams and won two Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins (1991, 1992), but he knows the importance of playing tough.
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Ulf, an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, would be the first to admit the younger Samuelsson has a bit more poise and control, not to mention some high-end offensive upside.
"He does get up well in the rush and that's something we talk about daily on how we get our offense involved in the game," Ulf Samuelsson said. "Adam has a natural read for that. He's really good at anticipating and being able to get going to make it an even- or odd-man rush, so that's really valuable."
Samuelsson is No. 77 in NHL Central Scouting's final list of North American skaters eligible for the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center in Dallas on June 22-23. He is representing the United States at the 2018 IIHF World under-18 Championship in Russia.
"Adam is more of a puck-moving, cerebral, smart player," U.S. U-18 NTDP coach Seth Appert said. "It's not that he won't be physical but he's going to shut players down with his stick and his mind. He transitions the puck well and has really good vision, and has a great sense of calmness when he has the puck that allows him to make those important breakout passes."
Samuelsson is fifth among USNTDP defensemen with 24 points (four goals, 20 assists). He also has a plus-22 rating and 94 penalty minutes in 59 games. He's committed to Boston College in 2018-19.

Philip Samuelsson, Adam's brother, played two seasons at Boston College and won a national championship in 2009-10. Philip, 26, is playing for Charlotte of the American Hockey League.
"It's been my dream school so it wasn't hard for me to verbally commit," Samuelsson said. "It'll be fun when I get there; I toured Boston University but Boston College was always my top option."
Samuelsson considers himself a two-way defenseman capable of jumping in to join a rush when needed. He also enjoys some physical contact, perhaps an indication that the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.
"One area he's been working on this year is his physical game because he's able to keep up with the forwards on their cycles and their quick stops and starts so whenever he has the chance, he needs to make sure he uses his size, and physically pounds people when he can," Ulf said. "That's another valuable attribute you look for in a defenseman."
Ulf said there is a fine line when it comes to big hits in today's game, however.
"It's a tough area to teach because while you want players to play the game the right way, you don't want to tell anyone to go and pound or hit someone from behind; you have to be really respectful towards the rules and try to read each situation," Ulf said. "Almost all open-ice hits today are a thing of the past because most of them usually result in illegal contact. It seems like the hits along the walls, or in races for pucks, are the ones where you can be more physical."
Adam also has one other brother who also plays hockey, and an older sister. Henrik Samuelsson, 24, plays for Rockford (AHL). Victoria Samuelsson, 21, attends Penn State University.
"Everyone in my family has helped me," Samuelsson said. "My sister helped me and I've looked up to my older brothers. They've been role models for me."
Ulf said that Adam gained his competitive verve and athleticism mostly by playing outdoors with his brothers and sister. Despite missing time with a knee injury in 2016-17, Samuelsson has rebounded well this season.
"For as big as Adam is, he can really skate and despite missing most of last season, he's gotten most of his skating back," Ulf Samuelsson said. "He has long legs and is a very good runner. He's trained with his siblings forever and then when he started catching up to them in age, started pulling away when they were playing soccer or racing outside. I can see the same thing happening now on the ice. He's really fast."