MATTIAS SAMUELSSON #23

Notes accurate as of Sept. 1, 2026

PRONUNCIATION: SAM-yew-uhl-suhn, ma-TEE-uhs

CONTRACT STATUS: Signed through 2029-30 ($4.285 million AAV)

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Selected by Buffalo in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:  

  • Made his NHL debut on April 18, 2021 vs. Pittsburgh, where he recorded two shot attempts and two hits in 14:12 of ice time.
  • Recorded two assists on April 23, 2021 vs. Boston, marking both his first point and first multi-point game of his NHL career.
  • Scored the first goal of his NHL career on Nov. 30, 2022 at Detroit.
  • Skated a career-high 31:31 on Dec. 15, 2022 at Colorado.
  • Appeared in his 100th NHL game on March 4, 2023 vs. Tampa Bay.
  • Registered the first game-winning goal of his career on Oct. 21, 2023 vs. NY Islanders.
  • Ranked first among all Sabres skaters in blocked shots per 60 (6.21) in 2023-24.
  • Ranked third among all Sabres skaters and second among all Buffalo defensemen in shorthanded time on ice per game played (2:47) in 2023-24.
  • Recorded a single-game career-high five shots on Jan. 4, 2024 at Montreal.
  • Played in the 200th NHL game of his career on March 25, 2025 vs. Ottawa.
  • Set new single-season career highs in games played (78), goals (13), assists (28), points and time on ice per game (22:50) in 2025-26.
  • Tallied a career-best plus-41 rating in 2025-26, the best mark by a Sabres defenseman in a single season since Jim Schoenfeld (plus-60) in 1979-80. Ranked tied for fourth among all NHL defensemen and tied for seventh among all NHL skaters in plus/minus. 
  • Led all Sabres skaters in blocked shots (154) and ranked first among all Sabres defensemen in hits (130) in 2025-26. Became the sixth Sabres skater (Rasmus Dahlin, Josh Gorges, Toni Lydman, Rasmus Ristolainen, Mike Weber) to record at least 130 hits and 150 blocked shots in a single season since the league began tracking those statistics in 2005-06. 
  • Posted a 11.9 shooting percentage on 109 shots in 2025-26, joining Phil Housley (1983-84, 1987-88, 1988-89) and Richard Smehlik (1993-94) as the only Sabres defensemen all-time to record at least 100 shots and a shooting percentage of 11.5 percent or greater in a single season. 
  • Led all Sabres skaters in shorthanded time on ice (227:46) in 2025-26, the fourth-most by a Sabres skater since the league began tracking the stat in 1997-98. 

AMATEUR HIGHLIGHTS:  

  • Recorded 10 points (5+5) in 30 games with the U.S National U17 team in the 2016-17 season.
  • Made his USHL debut on Sept. 23, 2016 vs. Muskegon and recorded his first career point with a goal on Sept. 30, 2016 vs. Youngstown.
  • Skated in 23 contests with the U.S. National Team Development Program U18 Team in 2017-18.
  • Appeared in 35 games during the 2018-19 season, his first with the Western Michigan Broncos (NCHC).
  • Named to the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team in 2018-19.
  • Named a finalist in the 2019-20 season for NCHC’s Best Defensive Defenseman with Western Michigan.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:  

  • Represented the United States, served as team captain and earned a silver medal in the 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship.
  • Appeared in seven games with Team USA at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship and earned a silver medal.
  • Served as Team USA’s captain and appeared in five games at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.

NHL FIRSTS

Game: 4/18/21 vs PIT

Goal: 11/30/22 at DET

Assist: 4/23/21 vs BOS

AWARDS & HONORS

Professional:

N/A

International:

2018 IIHF U18 World Champion Silver Medal

2019 IIHF World Junior Champion Silver Medal

Amateur:

2019-2020 NCHC Honorable Mention All-Star Team