Mattias Samuelsson Injury: What happened to Buffalo Sabres defenseman?

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson's season has been marred by injuries, and unfortunately for him, his streak of bad luck continued against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Sabres announced via social media that Samuelsson would not be returning to the contest due to a lower-body injury. The incident unfolded during the first period when Samuelsson was involved in a collision on the ice, leaving him in considerable discomfort as he made his way back to the bench. Samuelsson had been playing a significant role on the Sabres' top defensive pairing alongside Rasmus Dahlin.

Mattias Samuelsson exits game against Philadelphia Flyers with a lower-body injury

This is the second time in just a matter of weeks that Samuelsson has been forced to exit a game due to injury. In a previous game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he had to leave early with an upper-body injury, adding to the challenges he's faced this season.

Despite the setbacks, the 23-year-old defenseman has shown promise on the ice. He has notched three points in 10 games this season and has been logging an impressive average of 21 minutes and 9 seconds of ice time per game on the Sabres' top defensive unit.

Last fall, Samuelsson inked a lucrative seven-year, $30 million contract extension with the Sabres, which officially kicked in this season. The deal carries an average annual value of $4.2 million, reflecting the team's commitment to the young defenseman's future.

Mattias Samuelsson's journey to the NHL began when he was drafted by the Sabres in the second round of the 2018 NHL entry draft. Prior to turning pro, he spent two seasons playing college hockey with the Western Michigan Broncos, where he showcased his skills, amassing seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 65 games.

Before his professional career took off, Samuelsson had a remarkable junior career with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, and he was part of the squad that won a silver medal at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship in British Columbia. He even captained the team in the 2020 World Juniors.

Samuelsson made his professional debut with the Sabres' AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, during the 2020-21 season. He then went on to make his NHL debut in April 2021 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Throughout his young NHL career, Mattias Samuelsson has accrued three goals and 22 assists, totaling 25 points in 119 games.

In Samuelsson's absence, all eyes will be on Henri Jokiharju, who might be called upon to fill in on the top defensive pairing.