Annual expectations thread 2022/23: #23 Mattias Samuelsson

[dudacek]

Samuelsson never got a real chance to make the Sabres in training camp due to injury, but during his rehabilitation in Rochester he quickly showed himself to be a dominant 2-way AHL defenceman. He got called up mid-season and was gradually handed more and more responsibility as the year progressed, particularly in defensive situations.

The rookie finished the year just behind Robert Hagg in average TOI short handed and goals against per 60 among regular penalty killers. He was just 20 behind Dahlin for the team lead in total hits despite playing just half a season.

His analytics weren’t remarkable - a 47.6% Corsi at even strength - but that was with 61.5% D-zone starts. His ice time increased from 17:45 a game in February to 21:41 in April.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=196144

By the end of the year he was playing regularly with Dahlin on the top pair, matched up against the best players the other teams had to offer.

In the 42 games Mattias played, the Sabres went 21-17-4, including 12/5/2 down the stretch.

What do you expect from Mattias Samuelsson this year?

(Last year’s takes here):

 

[Weave]

Now this guy, I have faith.

He’ll be a lock down guy this year.

[DarthEbriate]

Since the team started purposefully stinking, they haven't had a go-to #1 defensive pairing. The top pair was a pair by default, not because of awesomeness. The last pair I can even find that skated together for more than a season is Regehr-Myers.

Samuelsson-Dahlin looked like a thing at the end of last season. A very good thing. A #1 pairing thing that's going to control the ice for 24:00+ minutes/game. Muel will still make some mistakes, but the team's increasing skills are going to overcome them. He's also going to rub so many players out into the corners and deflect shot attempts harmlessly into the net with his reach.

Muel + Rasmus the Youngest.

Are you ready Regehr-Myers? Lydman-Tallinder? McKee-Warrener? Zhitnik-Smehlik? You're all about to be surpassed by parsecs.

[PerreaultForever]

I'm not sure he's ready to be a "shut down" guy but his style certainly moves him into that role. I think he will be relatively solid and a regular player. How good is hard to say. I'm still waiting to see who he gets paired with. The Dahlin pairing does make some sense and if he can balance that pairing out it could reap big dividends for both players. 

[Thorner]

Ups and downs 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2 hours ago, Weave said:

Now this guy, I have faith.

He’ll be a lock down guy this year.

This is were I am too.

[nfreeman]

I really liked what I saw last year from Mule but I’m wary of expecting too much from a defenseman in his first full NHL season, especially when he’ll be drawing the opponents’ top guys.  

[Taro T]

Have no doubt he'll be in the top 4 & am hoping he's with Dahlin.  

Not sure he'll be that Jay McKee shutdown guy but expect he'll have us seeing similarities to him & the Sabres 1 TRUE shutdown D-man from much earlier in their history this year.

Hoping for McKee in a year or 2 consistently & then maybe Ramsey soon after?  Wouldn't that be something?

[French Collection]

Just now, Taro T said:

Have no doubt he'll be in the top 4 & am hoping he's with Dahlin.  

Not sure he'll be that Jay McKee shutdown guy but expect he'll have us seeing similarities to him & the Sabres 1 TRUE shutdown D-man from much earlier in their history this year.

Hoping for McKee in a year or 2 consistently & then maybe Ramsey soon after?  Wouldn't that be something?

If he turns into Ramsey that would be awesome.

[Norcal]

Absolute Stud on and off the ice. 

The evolution of Muel will be great to watch. 

I think he has the potential to be considered as one of the best Sabres defensemen of all time.

[steveoath]

He lets Dahlin be Dahlin. Mattias will be a solid player all year and a big part of Rasmus' success. I really think given a full training camp/pre season he will make the jump to dominant defenseman. 

 

[Doohicksie]

Before opening the thread, my thought was almost exactly choice #3.

[dudacek]

I’m ridiculously high on Mule.

To the point that I think people will eventually consider him a core player, not a support player.

[French Collection]

7 hours ago, dudacek said:

I’m ridiculously high on Mule.

To the point that I think people will eventually consider him a core player, not a support player.

Dahlin, Power and Samuelson, the Big Three?

[Taro T]

40 minutes ago, French Collection said:

Dahlin, Power and Samuelson, the Big Three?

Hopefully.  And imagine what that could've become had there been a way to land Jiricek as well.  Your looking at Nashville+ level of D, maybe even '70's Habs level.

[JohnC]

One of his most impressive traits is that as a young player he has such a mature game. His positioning is fundamentally sound. He's one of our most efficient players. He's a big body guy who doesn't have to bang people too often because he is so effective in getting the puck out of his zone. When Dahlin is on the ice you can be dazzled by his style of play. With Samuelsson you don't notice him too much because he is so efficient and under control. His game represents substance more than it does style. 

[LGR4GM]

He needs to get quicker still. I think he will but there will be some ups and downs. 

He's a top 4 defender on this team and most likely is Dahlin's partner all year. 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

Hopefully.  And imagine what that could've become had there been a way to land Jiricek as well.  Your looking at Nashville+ level of D, maybe even '70's Habs level.

I keep hoping they will pull off a trade for someone like Helge Grans from LA. Johnson for Grans makes so much sense for so many reasons. 

[dudacek]

28 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I keep hoping they will pull off a trade for someone like Helge Grans from LA. Johnson for Grans makes so much sense for so many reasons. 

Not an expert on Grans so no comment on that, but Dahlin Samuelsson is something I’d like to watch for next 8 years and the concept of a Lyubushkin/Johnson pairing would be the most reliable 3rd pairing this franchise has had in 15 years.

Add Power and Jokiharju and that’s a large, smart, mobile, balanced corps that could mature into a force both ends of the ice.

[Derrico]

IMO he’s a huge piece to this puzzle.  

If he’s a shut down guy allowing Dahlin or Power to roam free we may be in that playoff hunt.  If there are growing pains we likely won’t.  Nobody else on the roster with his sort of skill set.