A responsible defensive defenseman with fast developing two-way upside, Mattias Samuelsson has the tools and mindset to become a safe and simple middle-pair NHL anchor a few years down the line.
Samuelsson stands out with his stout defensive posture augmented by impressive size and skating. At 6-foot-4 and already closing in on 220 pounds, he moves about with agile footwork and above-average four-way mobility. He's disciplined with how he uses his big frame to shut down the attack, but he's not just a big guy who cancels out his checks as he is also disruptive force that regularly gets his stick on the puck.
While Samuelsson won't be relied upon to show off end-to-end puck-rushing ability, his smart decisions to support the offense are an underrated part of his total game. Samuelsson has carved out a reputation as an accurate passer in all three zones.
He's good at winning pucks, taking a few strides and quickly sending crisp passes to spark the transition game. Up ice, he makes himself available at the point where he can pound pucks at the goal.
Digging deeper into Samuelsson reveals a high character player and natural leader focused on preparedness and professionalism. After a learning experience that included many losses in his first year with the U.S. program, Samuelsson, who works just as hard off the ice as he does during his shifts, added 20 pounds of muscle to his huge frame.
The fact that his father, Kjell, remains in the business following an 813-game NHL career doesn't hurt, either.
The work paid off as Samuelsson added to his already high ceiling this past season, scoring 11 goals and 31 points in 56 games, including two points (1+1) in five contests while wearing the "C" for the U.S. at the 2018 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
Originally committed to the University of Michigan, Samuelsson will instead enroll at a revived Western Michigan program in the fall, where he'll jump right into a big-minute role while playing with his older brother Lukas.
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For more on all the youngsters in the Sabres pipeline, check out Kris Baker's website, SabresProspects.com. You can also follow him on Twitter (@SabresProspects).
