Buffalo Sabres’ defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is out for the remainder of the season. He will undergo surgery to heal the upper-body injury that already caused him to miss the last two games. It was hoped that he’d be able to recover without requiring surgery but now that it’s confirmed he needs to undergo that procedure, he will be ruled out until next year’s training camp.
Samuelsson played 41 games for the Sabres this year, putting up one goal and seven points along with 26 penalty minutes and a +4 rating. The son of former long-time NHLer Kjell Samuelsson is a big, strong defender. Standing at 6’4″ and 231 lbs, the younger Samuelsson is a force to be reckoned with on the Sabres’ back-end.
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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