| Samuelsson, 44, joined the Coyotes organization after serving as an assistant coach for the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL), the New York Rangers' top minor league affiliate, in 2005-06. Samuelsson, who was responsible for handling Hartford's blueline, helped lead the team to the Atlantic Division Finals with a 48-24-2-6 record. The Wolf Pack finished the regular season with 104 points, ranking them second in the Atlantic Division, third in the Eastern Conference and sixth overall in the league. Regarded by many in the NHL as one of the hardest hitters the league has ever seen and a consistent, hard working defenseman, Samuelsson was drafted by the Hartford Whalers (4th choice, 67th overall) in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft. He went on to play 17 NHL seasons and 1,080 career NHL games with the Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers, registering 57 goals and 275 assists for 332 points, along with 2,453 penalty minutes. He was a member of the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cup Championship teams in Pittsburgh and also was a member of the NHL All-Star team for Rendez-Vous '87 that competed against the Soviet Union. Samuelsson retired from the NHL in 1999-2000 after playing 49 games with the Philadelphia Flyers. |
