The Buffalo Sabres had gotten a godsend in Dennis Gilbert, and they’re winning games with him on the ice. Kind of like what the Blue and Gold had in Mattias Samuelsson back in 2022-23, even if he were injury-prone then, before, and after.
But with Gilbert playing well and Samuelsson once again missing time with an injury, the burning question should be an obvious one: Why should the Sabres even bother with who is literally one of their most injury-prone players in team history?
This is one of the most disheartening articles I’ve ever had to write; being a huge fan of Samuelsson, thanks to his throwback playing style as a blueliner who’s willing to put in the dirty work. He’s never someone to contribute much offensively next to the occasional goal, but when he’s on the ice, opponents know better than to skate near him unless they want to risk getting smashed into the boards.
Yet, once again, here we are, with Samuelsson out for who knows how long. And, despite the long-term deal he signed a couple of years back, this is too much, and general manager Kevyn Adams needs to eventually work the phones and send him packing.
Mattias Samuelsson should be part of a future Sabres trade
It would be tough to trade Samuelsson, thanks to his history of injuries, plus the fact he would come with quite the cap hit. So, how would Kevyn Adams convince anyone to take a chance on this guy?
If it were me, I’d try to trade him to a surefire non-contender in a trade that could bring about that top-six scorer. But at this point, I’d throw Samuelsson in as a “bonus” and even offer to retain some of that salary or try to get a third team involved for retention. Again, a team that won’t compete any time before 2026-27 and no, that’s not a typo.
This strategy may work since Samuelsson has shown he can do a good job contributing to a team’s overall success, especially if they need that old-school, stay-at-home type of blueliner. Yeah, he’s injury-prone, but a team like the San Jose Sharks or Anaheim Ducks could be willing buyers, and perhaps even the Chicago Blackhawks.
There is always an outside chance the perennial serious injury cycle ceases, and since the teams listed won’t be competitive this year or perhaps even next season, they may think, “Why not?” Anyway, it’s clear that Samuelsson has become more than a liability for the Sabres, and the cycle seriously needs to end.