Buffalo Sabers 2024-25 Player Report Card: Mattias Samuelsson – Hockey Writer – Buffalo Sabers

When it comes to polarization seasons, the poster kid on the Buffalo Sabre may be defensive player Mattias Samuelsson for the 2024-25 season. Despite the good number, improvements in multiple categories and better suited for his character use, he still found a way to make fans misinterpretations. Whether it was his reaction in the Tage Thompson incident or his deviation from his usual style of play, fans enjoyed his fun until this season, Samuelsson was one of the players on this roster, and at the end of the season, some of his most mixed views of him ended.

Samuelson's good statistics are contaminated by bad choices

If I knocked Samuelsson's statistical obstacle out of context and hadn't seen one of his games, I would think he's improved and hopefully see his next one in Buffalo next season. He reached career highest levels in multiple categories: game (62), goals (four), score (14), shooting percentage (7.7%), shooting percentage (93), and then he earned his previous career with 10 assists. Apart from the Sabers' defense, he's still a season, although Sabers' defense is a sub-average wreckage throughout the season. All his statistics lines point to his huge uptrend, but actual gameplay ruins all these huge advancements.

After being appointed as one of the replacement captains early this season and being labeled as the team leader, he found himself benched, scratched and became one of the team members with the least ice regularly. It was the event that Thompson was bent in the face by New Jersey Devils forward Stefan Noesen on February 2, the biggest offense to date, as Samuelsson stood like a deer on the headlight and did absolutely nothing when it happened. No, push, no push, no shouting, just standing. Then, as the season continued, Samuelsson stopped getting up physically and became increasingly involved in his teammates. As a 6-foot-4-foot-weight and 227-pound man, he doesn't need to punch to make an impact, but it makes more sense to see him get involved when teammates need him than a 5-foot-10 game, Zach Benson (a great season).

Rate Samuelson

Samuelsson touted the league with a physical defensive back, although he wasn't healthy early in his career until this season, he made great strides in becoming a full-time calming guard. This season is more like he adapted to coach Lindy Ruff's game style, and he is more like a two-way defender. He strengthened a little, brought some extra offensive opportunities and paid off on the scoring list. Despite these advancements, his leadership and team performance are sometimes lacking, but he is still working for those pains that the “young” guards are growing up. That being said, this will be his results this season:

• Score – B+
• Defense- b
• Leadership- d
• Toys- b
• Teamwork-c

These results reflect his ability and performance relative to his position and his talented players. So, as a talented scoring player, it’s great to see him with four goals. Poor leadership and team scores reflect his entire season and that he has never been the one who stood up for anyone, albeit an obvious choice. There is definitely a portion of his game this season worth enjoying, while others need to do some real soul search if he intends to stick with it.

Samuelson's future in Buffalo

Samuelsson is still playing for the sabre under contract until the end of the 2029-30 NHL season and holds a $4.29 billion cap, so if Kevyn Adams, or if Kevyn Adams or any general manager is expected to get hired, he still has a lot of time to play for this team. His blocking percentage isn't much higher, but for other players like Bowen Byram, there's even a young potential defender in a saber system like Ryan Johnson, who is now a very expendable player. As Ruff tries to build a new culture in this team, it is wise to clear out and move out the inappropriate culture, and Samuelsson obviously doesn't want to join.

Related – Buffalo Sabers' 2025 offseason list

With his progress and a rather low hat hit, he definitely has the trade value a playoff team hopes to have, so moving him in the offseason should be a priority. Most importantly, he is no longer suitable for his role in this team and it’s time to move on. He might fit somewhere else, but it's time to take another step and ship it out to get a different asset that fits the current site roster. Samuelsson played a great role in his first few seasons, but eventually played a role, and it was time to part.