Mikael Samuelsson

Karl Mikael Samuelsson (born 23 December 1976, in Mariefred, Sweden) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey right winger. Samuelsson began his career in Sweden, starting with small town team IFK Mariefred, followed by Södertälje SK as a junior in 1994. He went on to also play for Swedish teams IK Nyköping, Frölunda HC and Brynäs IF. After being selected 145th overall in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks, he moved to North America for the 2000–01 NHL season. Samuelsson spent short stints with the Sharks, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers, before returning to Europe during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. As NHL play resumed, Samuelsson signed with the Detroit Red Wings, where he enjoyed individual and team success, winning the Stanley Cup with the club in 2008. After four seasons in Detroit, he signed with the Vancouver Canucks in July 2009. He enjoyed the two most successful individual seasons of his career with Vancouver, recording back-to-back 50-point campaigns in 2009–10 and 2010–11. In his third year with the club, he was traded to the Panthers for his second stint in Florida. At the end of the season, he re-signed with the Red Wings in July 2012.\n', ' Internationally, Samuelsson is a member of the Triple Gold Club. In addition to his Stanley Cup championship, he has won gold medals with the Swedish national team at the 2006 Winter Olympics and 2006 World Championships.\n', ' After playing for IFK Mariefred durig his childhood, Samuelsson played junior with Södertälje SK of the J20 SuperElit, beginning in 1994–95. Scoring at a point-per-game pace at the junior level the following season, he was called up to the club\'s professional club, scoring five goals and an assist in 18 games. He helped Södertälje SK earn a promotion from the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan to Sweden\'s premier league, the Elitserien, for the 1996–97 campaign. Debuting in the Elitserien, Samuelsson recorded six points over 29 games. While improving to 16 points in 31 games the following season, he also played in ten games for IK Nyköping in the Allsvenskan. During the subsequent off-season, Samuelsson was selected in the fifth round, 145th overall, by the San Jose Sharks in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.\n', '