Mikael Samuelsson
Mikael Samuelsson ( born December 23, 1976 in Marie Fred ) is a Swedish professional ice hockey forward who plays for the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League since July 2012.
- 3.1 International
Career
In 1996, he played in the Swedish Elitserien for Södertälje SK. He was pulled in the fifth round by the San Jose Sharks in the NHL Entry Draft in 1998 at position number 145, but was still only in Sweden and Västra Frölunda HC and moved on to the next year to Brynäs IF.
For the season 2000/ 01 he moved to North America and played mostly in the farm team of the Sharks at the Kentucky Thoroughblades in the AHL, but four times he was in the NHL on the ice. The Sharks gave him away after the season to the New York Rangers. After failing to start in the AHL farm team of the Rangers, the Hartford Wolf Pack, played, he was able to maintain throughout the season in the NHL squad. At the end of his second season however, he was released to the Pittsburgh Penguins, one of which is caught up in a larger transfer, particularly Alexei Kovalev to New York.
Shortly after the season, he was further transferred in an exchange of draft rights to the Florida Panthers. After a year in Florida the lockout, during which he sometimes played with his hometown team Södertälje SK, but also in Switzerland for HC Servette Genève followed. He also started the next season in Switzerland, but after a game for the Rapperswil -Jona Lakers he signed a contract in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings.
In Detroit, he instantly had a very good season, scoring 23 goals and 22 assists, while the Red Wings took first place after the regular season. Added to this was at the international level of the Olympic victory and the world championship title with the Swedish national team. 2006/ 07 could Samuelsson attend due to injury just 53 games, but still scored 34 points scorer. In the playoffs, he helped the team with his three goals and eight assists in the finals of the Western Conference.
In the 2007 /08 season Samuelsson was again one of the reliable players in the attack of the Red Wings and scored 40 points. In the playoffs, he was weak at first, but in the Stanley Cup final, he found his good form and scored in the series three of his five goals in the final. The Red Wings won the finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins eventually won Samuelsson and thus after the World Cup and the Olympic gold medal for the third inclusion in the Triple Gold Club required title.
On the good performance he made in the 2008 /09 season to its good performance, when he again collected 40 points scorer and moved to Detroit for the second time in a row in the Stanley Cup Finals, where the enemy as in the previous year, the Pittsburgh Penguins were but the Red Wings failed to defend the title.
After four years with the Red Wings Samuelsson left the team in the summer of 2009 and moved to the Vancouver Canucks. On 23 October 2011 he was given to the Florida Panthers along with Marco Sturm in a barter against Steven Reinprecht and David Booth again.
Awards and achievements
Internationally
- 2006 Gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games
- 2006 Gold medal at the World Championships
- 2008 Inclusion in the Triple Gold Club
Career Stats
Internationally
Represented Sweden at:
- World Championship 2005
- 2006 Winter Olympics
- World Cup 2006
( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )