Mikael Samuelsson is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on December 23, 1976, in Mariefred, Sweden. Samuelsson began his professional career in Sweden, playing for Södertälje SK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) before moving to North America to play in the NHL.
Samuelsson was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the fifth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Sharks during the 2000-01 season, but he only played in four games before being traded to the New York Rangers. Samuelsson played for the Rangers for two seasons before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2003.
Samuelsson played for the Penguins for three seasons, and he was a key player on the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2009. He scored nine goals and had 14 assists in 24 playoff games that year. Samuelsson's performance in the playoffs earned him a three-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings.
Samuelsson played for the Red Wings for two seasons, and he was a key player on the team that won the Western Conference in 2010. He scored seven goals and had eight assists in 12 playoff games that year. Samuelsson's performance in the playoffs earned him a two-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks.
Samuelsson played for the Canucks for two seasons, and he was a key player on the team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011. He scored seven goals and had five assists in 18 playoff games that year. Samuelsson's performance in the playoffs earned him a two-year contract with the Florida Panthers.
Samuelsson played for the Panthers for two seasons before being traded back to the Red Wings in 2012. He played for the Red Wings for one more season before signing with the Montreal Canadiens in 2013. However, he never played a game for the Canadiens due to injuries, and he retired from professional hockey in 2014.
Throughout his NHL career, Samuelsson played in 699 regular-season games, scoring 149 goals and 197 assists for a total of 346 points. He also played in 105 playoff games, scoring 23 goals and 26 assists for a total of 49 points. Samuelsson was known for his versatility, as he could play both forward and defense, and for his ability to score clutch goals in the playoffs.
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