Mattias Samuelsson isn’t just the most injury-prone player on the Sabres. He’s arguably the most injury-prone player in the NHL. And if he’s not the most, you can rank him in the top five of that unfortunate category. Samuelsson missed at least 20 games last season, and these days, it’s almost a guarantee he won’t play anywhere near a full campaign.
And the sad thing is that Samuelsson has the potential to be one of the NHL’s best shutdown defensive defensemen. On a team like the Sabres, who didn’t seem capable of stopping anyone last year, a shutdown-style player could boast even more value than the two-way star, Rasmus Dahlin.
Grade: C - It’s hard to give Samuelsson anything more, but giving him something less isn’t fair to him, because of the injuries. When he’s in the game, he’s one of the most physical specimens on the ice alongside Connor Clifton. But how much longer does he have before injuries take their toll?
Mattias Samuelsson’s numbers weren’t good in 2024-25, but…
In those 62 contests, Samuelsson finished the season with four goals and 14 points, which really isn’t bad for his role on the team. Across an 82-game slate, he’d have threatened 20 points, and that would have given him some rather so-so numbers, even if it’s a stretch to say that they were good.
He saw less time on ice this season, with a 19:18 average, and that number should keep going south. Again, we’re looking at a player who can’t stay healthy if he gets top-end minutes, so perhaps even dropping him to the third pairing at some point could guarantee more games and less time in the training room.
Samuelsson again hit triple digits in hits, and it’s something we’ve come to expect. He landed 105 checks and 93 blocks, not bad numbers. But, I felt he could’ve done more, especially since he’s more than capable of 150-plus hits per season with between 110-120 blocks. With Lindy Ruff’s more aggressive system, that alone should’ve organically upped the ante for Samuelsson.
What will Samuelsson’s game look like in 2025-26?
I threw a hint out there already, but Samuelsson shouldn’t see as much ice time in 2025-26, and I wouldn’t be opposed to limiting it to between 16-17 minutes per game. But will it happen? That’s the burning question being asked right now, and if the Sabres can find another blueliner in the offseason, the odds of it happening increase.
If he doesn’t see as much ice time, it could mean more games and more chances to cause some damage in the defensive zone. I wouldn’t look for him to light up the league with his physical play, but if he were around for all 82 games, why couldn’t he reach the 150-hit mark? It should be the floor.
Samuelsson will also keep getting in front of shots, no matter what his role is next season. As for points? If he’s around all season, but has less ice time, I’d look for between 15 and 20 points with four or five goals. It’s nothing more than a supplementary role, if that, in the offensive zone, but he’ll produce enough to remind us he can do a little more than just play defense.