Mattias Samuelsson, a defenseman with the Buffalo Sabres, is sidelined for the season.
Mattias Samuelsson, a defenceman for the Buffalo Sabres, will be out for the rest of the year. To treat the upper-body issue that has already kept him out of the last two games, he will have surgery. It was thought that he would be able to heal without the need for surgery, but now that it has been established that he does, he will be sidelined until the training camp of the following year.
This season, Samuelsson appeared in 41 games for the Sabres, recording one goal, seven points, 26 penalty minutes, and a +4 rating. Big and muscular defender, son of former NHL player Kjell Samuelsson. The younger Samuelsson is a formidable presence on the Sabres’ back end at 6’4″ and 231 pounds.
Samuelsson is an old-school stay-at-home defenseman who rarely joins the rush but is nonetheless a useful player for Buffalo. He ranks second on the team in blocked shots and third in hits this year. The 23-year-old has played most of his time this season alongside superstar Rasmus Dahlin. They’ve put up decent numbers together with a 50.1% expected goals with them on the ice.
However, Samuelsson put up far better numbers alongside Owen Power, albeit in a smaller sample size. Through 99 minutes played with Power, they put up a 58% expected goals.
The loss of Samuelsson puts a dagger into any Buffalo hopes of making the playoffs this season. The team currently has a record of 22-23-4 and is tied with the Montreal Canadiens for seventh place in the Eastern Conference wildcard standings. According to MoneyPuck.com, the Sabres have a 7.5% chance of qualifying for the playoffs and are projected to finish with 82 points.
That marks a step back from their 91-point finish last year and could raise questions about the direction of the team under their current management.
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