News:Mikael Samuelsson may need shoulder surgery during the offseason, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson can more or less consider 2012-13 a lost season. He played in just four regular season games and five playoff games, and was listed as a healthy scratch during the Western Conference Semifinals. "Semi-healthy scratch" may be a more accurate description, as there's a chance Samuelsson would have played had he been at 100 percent. It is unclear how long he will sidelined for if surgery is needed, though we suspect he'd be ready for the 2013-14 campaign.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (shoulder) will not be in the lineup for Game 3 on Monday, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: He's listed as a healthy scratch Monday, so it may simply be a case where head coach Mike Babcock is happy with the lineup he used in the Wings' Game 2 victory on Saturday and does not feel the need to push Mikael Samuelsson back into the fold at the current time.
Red Wings' Samuelsson (Shoulder) Scratched From Game 1
News:Mikael Samuelsson (shoulder) will not play in Wednesday's Game 1 against the Blackhawks, ESPN Chicago reports.
Analysis: Although Mikael Samuelsson missed most of the regular season due to injury, he managed to tally two points over five games in the first round series against Anaheim. Once healthy, he'll have a chance at working his way back into the Red Wings' line rotations.
Red Wings' Samuelsson Dealing With Shoulder Injury
News:Mikael Samuelsson's injury has been classified as a pectoral muscle/shoulder injury, and he is questionable for Wednesday's Game 1 against the Blackhawks, the Detroit News reports.
Analysis: The team didn't give a reason as to why Mikael Samuelsson left Tuesday's practice early, so this update adds some clarity on that front. Coach Mike Babcock has already determined his lineup for Wednesday's game, so Samuelsson's availability should be known shortly after pregame warmups.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (undisclosed) will not play in Wednesday's game against the Blackhawks.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson will sit out Wednesday after suffering an injury during Tuesday's practice. Samuelsson's status was not decided until Wednesday morning, so consider him day-to-day moving forward. Cory Emmerton will enter the lineup in his place.
News:Mikael Samuelsson left practice early Tuesday, Mlive.com reports.
Analysis: At this point, there is no word yet on whether or not Mikael Samuelsson's early exit from Tuesday's practice will impact his availability for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday against Blackhawks.
News:Mikael Samuelsson will join the lineup for Game 3 on Saturday, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: To open Saturday's game, Mikael Samuelsson will skate on a line with Cory Emmerton and Patrick Eaves. It's unclear if he'll be utilized as part of the team's power-play units.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (chest) will not play in Game 1 against the Ducks, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: Much like teammate Todd Bertuzzi, Mikael Samuelsson is on the outside looking in at a lineup spot coming off of a significant injury as head coach Mike Babcock does not want to shuffle the deck with his forwards considering the overall quality of play from his squad down the stretch.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (chest) could be available Thursday against the Predators, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson's availability seems to hinge on Johan Franzen's, as the team wants to have at least one of those quality forwards available for Thursday's game. Franzen missed the final few minutes of Wednesday's win over the Kings but the expectation is that he'll be available Thursday.
News: Though Mikael Samuelsson (strained pectoral muscle) has been cleared to play, he won't suit up Wednesday against the Kings, mlive.com reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson, who last suited up on March 31, has been limited to just four games this season, but on the plus side, it looks like he'll be able to contribute in the playoffs, assuming the Wings qualify.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (chest) hopes to play in Saturday's game against Vancouver, the team's official site reports.
Analysis: The Red Wings need all hands on deck for their final playoff push, as no player wants to be on the team that snapped a 21-year playoff streak. Mikael Samuelsson was supposed to be a big part of that effort, but has only played four games due to injury in 2012-13.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (chest) skated on his own after Wednesday's practice, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: Ultimately, he is not going to play Wednesday night, but that Mikael Samuelsson is traveling with his teammates bodes well for his chances of returning during the playoff push in the coming days.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (chest) is doubtful for Wednesday's game against the Flames, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson has only played in four games this season, but is hopeful he will be ready to go when the Wings take on the Canucks on Saturday.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (pectoral) remains unsure of when he'll be able to return to the lineup, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: He's been skating on his own recently after practices, but Mikael Samuelsson may need a couple of full workouts with his teammates before he's ready to return.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (pectoral) skated briefly after practice Wednesday, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: There's still no timetable for his return, but Mikael Samuelsson will not rejoin the lineup for Thursday's game against the Sharks.
News:Mikael Samuelsson said he has a bruised and torn pectoral muscle and is out indefinitely, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: He skated briefly Thursday, but won't play Friday against Colorado and could miss another significant stretch after injuries have limited him to just four games this season.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (upper body) is not expected to play anytime soon, MLive.com reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson had hoped to play Thursday, but his recover is not going as quickly as he had planned. It is highly unlikely that he will play Friday and his availability beyond then is unclear.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (upper body) skated Tuesday, but still does not have full range of motion, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: Ultimately, it sounds like he's questionable at best for the Wings' trip to Phoenix and Colorado on Thursday and Friday.
News: After leaving Sunday's game following the second period with an upper body injury, Mikael Samuelsson is out for Monday's contest against Colorado, Mlive.com reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson is slated to have tests done on Monday, but for now the Wings believe that he is day-to-day with his thus far unspecified injury.
News:Mikael Samuelsson suffered an upper-body injury Sunday against the Blackhawks, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: A tough break for Mikael Samuelsson, who was appearing in his first game Sunday since February 17. Prior to his exit from the contest, Samuelsson recorded four hits and a shot in 9:05 worth of ice time.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (finger) has been cleared to play Sunday against Chicago, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: With Johan Franzen leaving Thursday night's game with a lower body injury, it's possible that Mikael Samuelsson's return will immediately lead to top-six minutes if Mule is ruled out of Sunday's contest against the Blackhawks.
Wings' Samuelsson (Finger) Practices In Full Wednesday
News:Mikael Samuelsson (finger) took part in his first full practice Wednesday since suffering his injury, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: While Mikael Samuelsson is aiming to play Sunday against the Blackhawks, Red Wings coach Mike Babcock was less committal. Babcock said, "There's no time [frame]." Wednesday marked Samuelsson's first full practice in five weeks.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (finger) is expected to return Sunday against the Blackhawks, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: Considering that he was previously unwilling to offer up a timetable, there may still be some fluidity here. Once he's ready to play, Mikael Samuelsson should carve out a role on one of the Wings' power -play units after seeing 2:52 per game with the man advantage in his limited time around injury (three contests) this season.
Wings' Samuelsson Feeling Better; Still Out Indefinitely
News:Mikael Samuelsson (finger) said he's feeling better, but is unsure when he'll be ready to play in games again, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson estimated that he's at least a week away, but suggested that he would miss a timetable if he tried to lay one out. He was limited to working on stickhandling after Wednesday's practice.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (finger) still hasn't resumed practicing his teammates, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: In the best-case scenario, he's still expected to miss another two-to-three weeks with the injury.
Wings' Samuelsson (Finger) Could Return In 2-3 Weeks
News:Mikael Samuelsson (broken finger) could return in two or three weeks, the Detroit News reports.
Analysis: If he hits no snags in his recovery, Mikael Samuelsson should be back by the end of the month. He's appeared in just nine games over the last two seasons.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (finger) will soon be given a splint, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: The plan for Mikael Samuelsson includes an evaluation in approximately two weeks to gauge his progress. It's possible that the ailment will force him to miss as many as four weeks of action depending on how quickly he heals.
News:Mikael Samuelsson is dealing with a non-displaced fractured finger that will sideline him a minimum of two weeks, Helen St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson was forced out of Tuesday's game against the Predators after being hit in the left hand with a shot during the Wings' morning skate. Samuelsson, who had just returned to the fold Sunday after missing 12 games with a groin injury, was slated to see action on the team's top power-play unit, but instead he was replaced in the Wings' lineup on Tuesday by Patrick Eaves.
News:Mikael Samuelsson will return to the top power-play unit Tuesday against Nashville, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: With a powerful right-handed shot, Mikael Samuelsson could keep that role after Damien Brunner filled in for him while he was on IR. As a result, he may be worth a look in deeper formats.
News:Mikael Samuelsson returned from a groin injury to play his third game of the season for the Red Wings, Fox Sports reports.
Analysis: He had been dealing with the groin injury for about three weeks, but it appears that he's back to full health. The Wild don't play again until Thursday, so he doesn't have to worry about playing back-to-back games for the time being.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (groin) said he's playing Sunday against Minnesota, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.
Analysis: With Mikael Samuelsson's expected return, the Wings sent Gustav Nyquist back to Grand Rapids on Saturday to clear space on the active roster.
News: Red Wings GM Ken Holland said Friday that Mikael Samuelsson (groin) might return Sunday, and if not, Tuesday at the latest, barring setback, MLive.com reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson has been out since aggravating a groin injury back on Jan. 21. When he is ready to return, look for the Wings to ease Samuelsson back into the rotation.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (groin) won't play Friday against the Ducks, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: That said, Mikael Samuelsson is getting close and might return to action as soon as Sunday in Minnesota or Tuesday at Nashville.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (groin) practiced with his teammates Wednesday and suggested that he could return this weekend, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: Ultimately, Mikael Samuelsson's availability will hinge on how much work he's able to get in with his teammates in the coming days. After playing in just two games this season, Samuelsson has been very limited in his workouts since.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (groin) said that he's feeling better, but has no timetable for his return, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: The lack of progress to this point is somewhat discouraging, and Mikael Samuelsson appears to be at least a week away from a return, if not longer.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (groin) was on the ice briefly Tuesday, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.
Analysis: It was an optional morning skate rather than a practice, but it's a step in the right direction for Mikael Samuelsson. By all indications, Samuelsson remains at least a week away from returning to the Wings' lineup.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (groin) hopes to resume skating soon, MLive.com reports. "Still cautious about it because it didn't work out for the shorter break that I had in training camp, so definitely, I'm there soon," Samuelsson said. "It's in a matter of a couple of days. I'll start skating very soon."
Analysis: The interesting thing to track with Mikael Samuelsson once he's able to play again is how he's used on the power play, as Damien Brunner has emerged as a viable member of the top unit, and that may limit Samuelsson's ice time in those situations -- at least initially.
Wings' Samuelsson (Groin) Could Begin Skating This Week
News:Mikael Samuelsson (groin) could begin skating later this week, Helen St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: Detroit GM Ken Holland said Mikael Samuelsson's groin is "improving." Samuelsson was placed on the IR Saturday and there remains no timetable for his return.
News:Mikael Samuelsson has been placed on IR, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: The move was made when Darren Helm was activated from IR earlier in the week. There's currently no timetable for Mikael Samuelsson's return, and it could take a bit longer than usual after he aggravated the groin following issues with it during the team's abbreviated training camp.
News:Mikael Samuelsson aggravated his groin in Monday's win at Columbus and is out Tuesday against the Stars, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: The Red Wings recalled forward Gustav Nyquist to add depth in place of Mikael Samuelsson, who may be unable to skate Wednesday. Samuelsson previously pulled the groin in training camp, but healed in time to play in both of the team's games this season.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (groin) was among the players on the ice for Friday's practice, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: He returned to the ice Thursday after missing time earlier in the week with a strain, but it sounds like Mikael Samuelsson is going to be ready to roll Saturday when the Red Wings' season begins in St. Louis.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (groin) returned to practice Thursday, Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News reports.
Analysis: Assuming no setbacks with his groin issue, Mikael Samuelsson's return to practice Thursday bodes well for his chances up being available for second-line duties in the Red Wings' season opener against the Blues on Saturday.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (groin) could miss the Wings' season opener against the Blues on Saturday, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: The Wings sent Mikael Samuelsson for an ultrasound, which revealed nothing more than a strain. While the injury is still considered minor, his absence would create a temporary opening on the team's second line to begin the season. If he is able to get on the ice with his teammates later in the week, it's still possible that Samuelsson will receive clearance for Saturday.
News:Mikael Samuelsson missed Monday's practice due to a groin pull, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: Mike Knuble, who is in camp on a tryout contract, replaced Mikael Samuelsson on the Wings' second line Monday. For now, he's considered day-to-day with the seemingly minor ailment.
News:Mikael Samuelsson will open the season on the Wings' second line, MLive.com reports.
Analysis: With Valtteri Filppula centering the second line, Mikael Samuelsson will have Johan Franzen on the opposite side. Although we would be more optimistic if he were playing with Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg, Samuelsson should get some work with the Wings' stars on the power-play unit, where he is expected to provide a right-handed shot.
News:Mikael Samuelsson will likely have a significant role on the Red Wings' power play, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: At even strength, Mikael Samuelsson may slot into the second or third line, but his big shot from the right side and potential for a top-six role paired with time on the power play could make him a strong rebound candidate in deeper formats with his return to Detroit this season.
News:Mikael Samuelsson has signed a two-year deal worth $6 million with Detroit that includes a no-trade clause, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson spent several seasons in Detroit before stints with the Canucks and Florida, with whom he spent this past season. Samuelsson's price tag might seem a little steep, but his 28 points in 48 games with Florida this past season are not awful.
News:Mikael Samuelsson enters Thursday's game against the Devils with at least one assist in each game of the series and totaling four all together.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson has 57 career postseason points, in 95 games, and has demonstrated the ability to score points in bunches. During the regular season, Samuelsson tallied 28 points in 48 games as a Panther.
News:Mikael Samuelsson picked up an empty net goal and two assists in Saturday night's home win over Carolina. The 11-year veteran finishes the regular season with 31 points.
Analysis: Though the former Canuck may not win you many fantasy categories, he did enough upon being acquired by Florida in December to establish himself as an integral component to the Panthers' offensive attack. He retains fantasy value in deeper leagues.
News:Mikael Samuelsson is a maintenance scratch for Thursday's game against Minnesota, Miami Herald writer George Richards reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson has no apparent injury -- the Panthers are merely choosing to rest him Thursday.
News:Mikael Samuelsson's point streak now stands at three games after he notched a power-play goal in Saturday's SO win over Buffalo.
Analysis: He has two goals, both of which came with the man advantage, and two assists in those three games. The savvy vet may deliver you a nice little boost as you approach season's end. Get him in your lineup.
Panthers' Samuelsson Picks Up Goal And Assist In Win
News:Mikael Samuelsson scored a first period power play goal and added an assist in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Bruins. Samuelsson now has points in back-to-back games.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson can make a meaningful fantasy impact at times and could be an attractive option over the short-term should you have a need. In 42 games played this season, Samuelsson has 10 goals and 14 assists.
News:Mikael Samuelsson assisted on Sean Bergenheim's first-period goal in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Leafs. The assist was Samuelsson's 12th of the year.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson is a streaky player and could provide a decent amount of points over the short term. However, his inconsistent play has him more of a candidate for deeper leagues at this point.
Panthers' Samuelsson Scoreless Over His Last Three
News:Mikael Samuelsson enters Sunday's game against the Senators riding a three-game scoreless streak.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson is a streaky player and has the ability to rack up points in bunches. Reserve Samuelsson for deeper leagues until he can score on a more consistent basis.
News:Mikael Samuelsson enters Saturday's game against the Devils with five points over his last six games and 12 points in his 20 games with the Panthers this season.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson is surging at just the right time and could be a fantastic source of points over the last half of the season. Samuelsson is coming off of back-to-back 50-point seasons and remains a solid fantasy option, if he can remain healthy.
News:Mikael Samuelsson had five shots on goal in Tuesday's shutout loss to Washington, but didn't score, ending a three-game points streak.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson had three goals in the last three games with four total points over that span. Florida has been hot and cold the last month, but Samuelsson has the potential to produce; he's posted back-to-back 50 point seasons and has 15 points in 24 games.
News:Mikael Samuelsson fired home his fourth and fifth goals of the year Wednesday night in a big 4-2 Florida win over Washington. He now has three goals in his past two games.
Analysis: He has 13 points (5G, 8A) in 22 games played this season, splitting time with Vancouver and now Florida. While he's never been a huge offensive weapon, Mikael Samuelsson could play a larger role on a Florida team that has been hurt by injuries the past couple of months.
News:Mikael Samuelsson returned to game action and tallied two assists in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Rangers. Samuelsson had missed the previous five games with an upper-body injury.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson has the potential to make a fantasy impact this season. Staying on the ice has been an issue and owners should have a backup plan in place until he can remain healthy on a consistent basis.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (undisclosed) is set to return from injury Thursday when the Panthers take on the Rangers in New York, South Florida Sun-Sentinel writer Harvey Fialkov reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson has top-six potential for the Panthers and has an opportunity to make an impact considering the amount of injuries the team has had to endure over the past few weeks. Regardless, health has been and will continue to be an issue for Sammuelsson until he can stay healthy on a consistent basis.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (undisclosed) will travel with the Panthers to New York for Thursday's game against the Rangers, South Florida Sun-Sentinel writer Harvey Fialkov reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson won't necessarily play, but traveling with the team is obviously a good development.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (undisclosed) practiced with a non-contact jersey Monday, Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Analysis: There's still no timetable for his return, and he's already missed the Panthers' last five games with the injury.
News:Mikael Samuelsson, who has missed the last three games with an undisclosed injury after taking a hit in a December 20 game, is not expected to play Friday against the Rangers, according to Alain Poupart of NHL.com.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson appears to be an extreme long shot for Saturday's game against Montreal as well.
News:Mikael Samuelsson, who was knocked out of Tuesday's game against the Coyotes, did not make the trip to Ottawa, George Richards of the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: The exact injury has not been made public and owners should prepare to be without Mikael Samuelsson for at least the next couple of games. Samuelsson has the ability to make a fantasy impact, but he needs to be on the ice in order to do so. In his absence, expect newly recalled forwards Michal Repik and Evgenii Dadonov to get the bulk of the ice time.
News: Sammuelsson took a hard hit from Shane Doan in the second period of Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Coyotes. After laying motionless on the ice for a few moments, Sammuelsson left the game and did not return.
Analysis: The extent of the injury is not known at this point. However, given his current situation, it would be best to consider alternative options for at least the short term.
News:Mikael Samuelsson picked up a pair of assists in Friday's 3-2 shootout win over the Flames. The points were his first as a Panther.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson has top-six potential for the Panthers and should get plenty of opportunities to pile on the points as the season progresses. Health is a major concern and something you should consider for at least the short term.
News:Mikael Samuelsson, who played 10:48 in his Panthers debut Thursday, was held out of the lineup as a healthy scratch Friday.
Analysis: While there's no reported setback here, it's clear that he's still not quite 100 percent. Health permitting, we should see Mikael Samuelsson carve out a top-six role with Florida before the season is through.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (lower body) will make his team debut Thursday night, according to the Panthers' official Twitter page.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson played in six games with the Canucks this season, but he has been on injured reserve since being acquired by the Panthers in late October. Samuelsson figures to open on the fourth line and won't see power play action immediately, but expect his TOI to increase as he gets back into game shape and finds a spot in the Panthers' rotation.
Panthers' Samuelsson May Play On Upcoming Road Trip
News:Mikael Samuelsson (hernia) is inching closer to a return and could possibly make his first Panthers appearance of the season during the team's upcoming road trip, George Richards of the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: The news is a positive step, but his return is still up in the air. Either way, Mikael Samuelsson should get top six minutes and could be a valuable down sleeper pick for the second half of the season.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (hernia) won't play against Washington on Monday, South Florida Sun-Sentinel writer Harvey Fialkov reports.
Analysis: It's not clear whether Mikael Samuelsson suffered a setback of some sort, but he was practicing a week ago and seemed to be close to return. He remains day-to-day beyond Monday's game.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (hernia) skated on Monday and is traveling with the team on their three-game road trip, the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: It looks like Mikael Samuelsson will be in the lineup Tuesday night against Carolina. If not, expect him to return Thursday in Los Angeles or Saturday in San Jose.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (hernia) is shooting for a return next week, Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson was just traded on Oct. 22 and is yet to play for the Panthers. He has recorded three points (1 G, 2 A) in the six games he has appeared in this season, but the Panthers are surely hoping he gets back into the form he was in the past two seasons where he recorded 103 points combined (53 in 2009, 50 in 2010). If you've been stashing Samuelsson, your patience might pay off soon as it appears he's nearing a return.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (hernia) skated on his own prior to Monday's practice, Panthers play-by-play announcer Steve Goldstein reports.
Analysis: He's also been dealing with a visa issue as well, while there's currently no timetable for Mikael Samuelsson to suit up in game action for his new club.
News:Mikael Samuelsson is dealing with visa issues in addition to his hernia, Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson has been rehabbing a sports hernia and was to join the team in St. Louis but will not likely play. The visa seems to be just another complication in the process. There's still no set timetable for his return to game action.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (lower body) is still limited due to complications from a sports hernia suffered in May. Samuelsson has been able to skate on his own, but has yet to participate in a team practice, the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: The Panthers' could use Mikael Samuelsson at the moment with Jake Skille and Scottie Upshall nursing injuries. In the meantime, expect the newly called up Evgeny Dadonov to pick up the minutes up front.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (lower body) skated for the first time since joining the Panthers on Tuesday, the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: An official timetable has not yet been set and more should be known over the next couple of days. Once he returns, expect Mikael Samuelsson to get top-six minutes and be a factor on the power play.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (lower body) is likely at least 1-to-2 weeks away from making his Panthers debut, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson has finally moved his rehab to Florida, but Panthers head coach Kevin Dineen noted that Samuelsson is not currently considered day-to-day. Expect an update on Samuelsson's status when the Panthers have a better idea regarding when he will return to the ice.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (adductor/sports hernia) will remain in Vancouver to rehab for now, Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
Analysis: As a result, it's probably going to be a few games before he joins his new teammates on the ice. There's currently no timetable for his arrival in South Florida.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (adductor muscle and sports hernia) was part of a four-player trade between the Panthers and Canucks on Saturday, the Panthers' official site reports.
Analysis:Mikael Samuelsson and Marco Sturm were traded to the Panthers in exchange for David Booth, Steve Reinprecht and a 2013 third-round pick. He was getting top-six minutes and being used regularly on the power play for the Canucks, but they had to give him up to get a player with Booth's potential. If he doesn't work out, he'll be a free agent next offseason.
News:Mikael Samuelsson (adductor muscle and sports hernia) is experiencing soreness and will not be able to play against the Predators on Thursday night, the Vancouver Sun reports.
Analysis: This does not sound serious, but it is a bit disconcerting as Mikael Samuelsson declared himself "100 percent" a month ago. He should be back soon but keep an eye on the winger's status over the next few weeks. Marco Sturm will fill in on the third line in Samuelsson's absence.
News:Mikael Samuelsson, who underwent surgery to repair his adductor tendon and a sports hernia in May, said he's "100 percent" at the start of training camp Friday, the Canucks' official site reports.
Analysis: All signs point to Mikael Samuelsson being ready and raring to go once the puck drops for the regular season. Samuelsson should spend most of his time on the Canucks' second and/or third lines this season. Look for similar production to his first two years in Vancouver.
News:Mikael Samuelsson, who had abductor tendon and sports hernia surgery in May, looked healthy doing drills Monday, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: The injury ended Mikael Samuelsson's 2010-11 postseason early, but Monday's showing is a good indication he'll be ready for action by the start of the regular season. A healthy camp should bump Samuelsson up your cheat sheets a few pegs.
News: Samuelsson (leg) underwent surgery to repair his adductor tendon and sports hernia Thursday and is out indefinitely, reports Dan Rosen of NHL.com.
Analysis: This operation will end Samuelsson's season. He scored just one goal and notched two assists in 11 postseason games.
Season-Ending Surgery Expected For Canucks' Samuelsson (Leg)
News: Samuelsson, who has already been ruled out of Game 2, 3 and 4 of the Western Conference Finals with a leg injury, is expected to have season-ending surgery, Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: If Samuelsson goes under the knife, he finishes off a lackluster postseason with one goal and two assists in 11 games. Find another option for your playoff pool if you haven't done so already.
News: Samuelsson (leg) won't travel to San Jose, Vancouver Province writer Jason Botchford reports.
Analysis: That would imply that Samuelsson is out for at least Vancouver's next two games, and maybe even Game 4 on Sunday (Games 3 and 4 are both in San Jose). We'll watch for specifics on Samuelsson's situation from here.
Canucks' Samuelsson Misses First Game Of Western Conference Finals
News: As expected, Samuelsson (leg) did not play in Sunday's Game 1 win over the Sharks.
Analysis: There's still no concrete timetable for a return, so Samuelsson's status remains in limbo for Game 2.
News: Samuelsson (leg) did not practice Friday, Canucks.NHL.com reports.
Analysis: No official statement has been made, but it's probably best to consider Samuelsson doubtful for Sunday's Game 1 against San Jose.
News: Coach Alain Vigneault said Samuelsson (leg) is doubtful for Game 1 against San Jose on Sunday, Canucks.NHL.com reports.
Analysis: This was expected to be the case. It's tough to guess what Samuelsson's status might be for Game 2.
News: Samuelsson (leg) was seen "limping badly" at the Rogers Center on Wednesday, the Vancouver Sun reports.
Analysis: The Western Conference Finals don't start until Sunday, so Samuelsson still has a few days to recover, but he should be considered doubtful at this point.
News: Samuelsson (leg) will not play in Monday's tilt against the Predators, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson aggravated an existing leg injury in the first period of Saturday's loss to Nashville. Victor Oreskovich is expected to replace Samuelsson on the fourth line.
News: Samuelsson left Saturday's game with an undisclosed lower-body injury, reports the Associated Press.
Analysis: It happened in the first period and he didn't return to action. He won't travel to Nashville for Game 6.
News: Samuelsson has been dropped to the third line for Tuesday's Game 3 matchup against the Predators, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: The veteran forward was also removed from his position as the first power-play point. Canucks coach Alain Vigneault is trying to find a spark for his offense which has only scored two goals against the Predators' Pikka Rinne through the first two games of the Round 2 series.
News: Samuelsson returned from his one-game absence due to illness in style, netting the game-winning goal in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Blackhawks.
Analysis: That pushes the Canucks to a 3-0 lead in their Round 1 matchup against Chicago. The Canucks are primed to make a Stanley Cup push this year, making Samuelsson a solid option in playoff pools.
News: Samuelsson (illness) will play against Chicago on Sunday, Chicago Sun-Times writer Adam Jahns reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson posted an assist in Game 1, so this is hardly news that the Blackhawks need to hear after dropping to 0-2 despite Samuelsson sitting out Friday.
News: Samuelsson was scratched from Friday's lineup due to an illness, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson did not take part in either the morning or pre-game skates, so he was deactivated and replaced by Aaron Rome. Consider Samuelsson day-to-day.
News: Samuelsson made his return from a leg injury Tuesday night against the Oilers. He was able to pick up 15:45 of ice time in the 2-0 loss.
Analysis: Samuelsson had missed six games prior to coming back Tuesday, so it's good to see him finally back out on the ice even though the Canucks have already clinched the Presidents Trophy.
Canucks' Samuelsson (Leg) On Track For Tuesday Return
News: Samuelsson (leg) remains on track to return to the lineup Tuesday against the Oilers, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson was able to get through Monday's practice without any complications. Barring any last minute setbacks, Samuelsson appears ready to return from a six-game absence.
News: Samuelsson (leg) hopes to return to the lineup Tuesday against the Oilers, the Vancouver Sun reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson has sat out the past six games with what was initially considered a minor injury. With the best record in the league already sewn up, the Canucks had the luxury of being patient with Samuelsson. Assuming he returns Tuesday, the veteran winger will get three tune-up games before the playoffs.
News: Samuelsson (leg) skated Friday morning but did not practice with the team, Canucks.NHL.com reports.
Analysis: It's not clear whether this affects his previously expected return for Saturday's game against Edmonton. We'll keep an eye on his status as the time approaches.
News: Samuelson (leg) will not play Thursday against the Kings, the Canucks' official site reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson, who last played March 18, remains in the day-yo-day category.
News: Samuelsson (leg) is expected to play against Edmonton on Saturday, TSN.ca reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson's owners would appreciate that, but they should follow up on his situation as the weekend approaches to make sure everything goes according to plan.
News: Samuelson (leg) practiced Monday, but he won't play in Tuesday's game against the Predators, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: Owners will have to do without Samuelsson for at least one more game, but the report did list Thursday as a possible return date. Make sure to check his status after Wednesday's practice.
News: Samuelsson (leg) isn't expected to play Tuesday against the Predators, the Canucks' official site reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson will likely need a couple of practices before returning to game action. Go with a healthier option this week.
News: Samuelsson missed Sunday's win over the Blue Jackets with a leg injury.
Analysis: That's three consecutive games Samuelsson has missed with an apparently minor leg injury. He's still listed as day-to-day, making him a risky play this week.
News: Samuelsson (leg) is a game-time decision for Sunday's tilt against the Blue Jackets, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been making progress the past few days, but the Canucks will wait until the pregame skate to make a decision on his status for Sunday's game.
News: Samuelsson (leg) skated on his own prior to Saturday's practice, the Vancouver Sun reports.
Analysis: It's not known whether Samuelsson is in the team's plan for Sunday's game against Columbus, so still consider him day-to-day.
News: Samuelsson, who has missed the past two games with a leg injury, did off-ice workouts Friday, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson remains day-to-day with what is considered a minpr injury. His next chance to return to the lineup will be Sunday against Columbus.
News: Samuelsson (leg) won't play in Friday's game against the Thrashers, the Vancouver Sun reports.
Analysis: This injury isn't considered serious, but the Canucks are giving Samuelsson extra time to heal so he's at full strength for the playoffs. His next chance to play will be Sunday against the Blue Jackets.
News: Samuelsson (leg) was not on the ice for Vancouver's morning skate Friday, Sportsnet's Dan Murphy reports.
Analysis: While nothing official has been stated, that would seem to indicate Samuelsson is unlikely to play against the Thrashers. We'll keep a lookout for confirmation on his status.
News: Samuelsson's (leg) status for Friday's tilt against the Thrashers is still unclear, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson sat out Wednesday's game against the Red Wings with stiffness in his right leg. The injury isn't considered serious, but the Canucks will give the 34-year-old extra time to heal if needed. An announcement on his status should come before the puck drops Friday evening.
Canucks' Samuelsson (General Soreness) Out Wednesday
News: Samuelsson (general soreness) will sit out Wednesday's tilt against the Red Wings, James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail reports.
Analysis: This comes as a bit of a surprise, as Samuelsson was originally thought to be taking a maintenance day or two off from practice. All indications remain that this injury isn't serious, but with the playoffs looming, the Canucks will opt to err on the side of caution. Consider him day-to-day.
News: Samuelsson sat out Saturday's practice because of "tweaks" in his body, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: This sounds like a routine maintenance day for a veteran player, but owners will want to double check his status before Wednesday's tilt against Detroit.
News: Samuelsson notched two assists Monday versus the Wild.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been a beneficiary of playing on a tremendously deep team, and on the season he has 18 goals and 49 points. He also now has points in his last five games, and is definitely worth considering for your lineup in most leagues.
News: Samuelsson collected both a goal and an assist on the power play in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to Montreal.
Analysis: With 15 points on the man advantage, Samuelsson is making the most of his 2:26 time on ice average, per game, on the power play. Consider keeping a close eye on this forward as he seems destined to post career-best totals in a number of key categories, including assists and points.
News: Samuelsson scored twice in Vancouver's 4-2 win over Calgary on Saturday night. The second of those tallies was the game-winner, and came on the power play.
Analysis: He's one of the hottest players in the NHL, with 12 points (6G, 6A) in his last half-dozen contests.
News: Samuelsson lit the lamp twice and added a helper Monday against the Senators.
Analysis: Samuelsson isn't going to score 30 goals like he did last season, but he has 11 points in his last six games and could make a good addition to your roster.
News: Samuelsson picked up a goal and an assist in Tuesday's win over the Stars.
Analysis: After notching just one point in 14 games, Samuelsson has picked up two goals and two assists in his past three outings. The spike in production can be attributed to Samuelsson seeing time on the Canucks' first and second lines while also logging more minutes on the man advantage. As long as he's in the Canucks' top six, Samuelsson will be able to produce at the level we saw from him last season. Get your buy-low offers out now.
News: Samuelsson scored his ninth goal of the season in Monday's 7-1 win over the Stars.
Analysis: The tally snapped a 15-game goalless streak for Samuelsson. The veteran forward also dished out an assist Monday, just his second of the month. While he's not seeing the same type of success as he did in his debut season with the Canucks, Samuelsson's 27 points still holds value in deeper formats.
News: Samuelsson had two assists in Monday's 3-1 win over host St Louis.
Analysis: Samuelsson continued the trend of seeing more ice time on the power play relative to in any other game situation. One of his two helpers came with the man advantage.
News: Samuelsson was demoted to the third line for Saturday's 4-1 win over the Maple Leafs, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson was replaced by Jannick Hansen. The 34-year-old winger has been in a bit of a funk this month, registering zero goals and three assists in seven December contests. While Samuelsson's overall ice time dipped to under 16 minutes, he still saw over four minutes on the power play during Saturday's win, so this demotion shouldn't affect his value too much.
Canucks' Samuelsson (Concussion) Returns to Action
News: Samuelsson (concussion) returned to the lineup Saturday night against the Lightning. He saw nearly 19 minutes of ice time and dished out an assist in the 5-4 overtime loss.
Analysis: Samuelsson made a quick return from his minor concussion, missing just one game. With Mason Raymond (broken thumb) sidelined, the Canucks will rely on Samuelsson to pick up his production and skate with the second line. He's worth a look in nearly all formats.
News: Samuelsson (concussion) is hoping to play Saturday against Tampa Bay, the Vancouver Sun reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson was originally expected to miss up to a week, but he has shown significant progress over the past couple days and has already been cleared for contact. With Mason Raymond (thumb) out, the Canucks could certainly use Samuelsson to step in and provide help on the second line.
News: Samuelsson (concussion) was cleared for contact and skated with the Canucks on Friday, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson suffered a mild concussion Sunday night, but could play as soon as Saturday. If Mason Raymond - who missed practice Friday - can't play, Samuelsson would likely take his spot on the second line.
News: Samuelsson sat out Monday's practice after suffering a concussion in the third period of Sunday's loss to the Blues, the Vancouver Sun reports.
Analysis: The concussion is considered minor, but Samuelsson is expected to be sidelined for at least a week. Don't count on him for any of the Canucks' three games this week, but Samuelsson should have a shot at returning Dec. 15 against the Blue Jackets.
News: Samuelsson tallied twice in Friday's 6-1 spanking of the visiting Sharks.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been putting together a good game or two and then falling off the score sheet. He is currently riding a two-game point streak, so lets see if he can sustain any momentum before committing a starting spot to him.
News: Samuelsson scored his first goal of the season in the Canucks' win over the Hurricanes on Sunday night, the Calgary Sun reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson also put in two assists, one on the power play, for good measure. Although he had a big game Sunday, the line shift that moved him down to the third line will likely stick for at least one more game, though he will still get time on the power play.
News: Samuelsson is expected to be dropped to the third line for Sunday's tilt against the Hurricanes, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson hasn't been able to light the lamp through the first four games, so Canucks coach Alain Vigneault will juggle his lineup. The 33-year-old winger will still see time on the man advantage, but this hurts his value in the short term.
News: Samuelsson is scoreless through four games despite firing 16 shots on net.
Analysis: The 33-year-old winger hasn't taken advantage of his spot on the first line alongside Daniel and Henrik Sedin. He'll likely be bumped down to the second line once Alex Burrows (shoulder) is available to return on Nov. 2, but a lack of other options for the Canucks means Samuelsson should hold on to his spot on the top line until then.
News: Samuelsson dished out a pair of assists in Monday's 2-1 win over the Panthers.
Analysis: Samuelsson is skating with the Sedin twins on the Canucks' top line and seeing action on the man advantage, giving him ample opportunities to repeat last season's success.
News: As expected, Samuelsson will start the season on the top line, the Vancouver Province reports.
Analysis: With Alex Burrows (shoulder) out for up to the first month of the season, Samuelsson will get the pleasure of skating alongside the Sedin twins when the regular season opens. Samuelsson will remain a fixture in the Canucks' top six all season, so he'll have plenty of opportunities to repeat last year's career-best numbers.
News: With Alex Burrows (shoulder) likely starting the season on injured reserve, Samuelsson is expected to be promoted to the Canucks' first line, the Vancouver Sun reports.
Analysis: Samuelsson is expected to be a fixture in the Canucks' top six all season, but a spot alongside the Sedin twins will give him a nice boost in value for the start of the season.
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson failed to score a goal for the first time in his remarkable series in Game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinals against the Kings, but still earned two assists -- including an accidental helper on Daniel Sedin's decisive goal when he apparently broke his stick on a slap shot -- to finish with 11 points.
Analysis: Samuelsson turned into an offseason bargain for the Canucks. Picked up at a relative cheap price from the Red Wings, Samuelsson posted a career-high 30 goals and 53 points in 74 games. He really turned up the intensity after being snubbed from the Swedish Olympic team. He still turned into a nice option for the Sedin line. Samuelsson will be a decent No. 4 or No. 5 Fantasy forward on Draft Day 2010.
News:Mikael Samuelsson scored his second goal 8:52 into overtime to give the Vancouver Canucks a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night in Game 1 of the first-round Western Conference series. Samuelsson won it, taking Henrik Sedin's pass from behind the net into the high slot and quickly firing a shot over Jonathan Quick's glove. Samuelsson also beat Quick on a power play to tie it in the second period, firing a shot under his blocker after Daniel Sedin kicked the loose puck back to him during a rebound scramble in front of the net.
Analysis: Samuelsson turned into an offseason bargain for the Canucks. Picked up at a relative cheap price from the Red Wings, Samuelsson posted a career-high 30 goals and 53 points in 74 games. He really turned up the intensity after being snubbed from the Swedish Olympic team. He still turned into a nice option for the Sedin line. Samuelsson will be a decent No. 4 or No. 5 Fantasy forward on Draft Day 2010.
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson returned to the lineup on Sunday against the Wild after missing seven games with a shoulder injury.
Analysis: Samuelsson was playing very well on a line with the Sedin twins before he got injured, so it will be interesting to see if coach Alain Vigneault will skate Samuelsson with his fellow Swedes in the final week (April 5-11). Samuelsson is more of a No. 5 or No. 6 Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson did not play in Friday's game against the Ducks due to a shoulder injury. He missed his seventh consecutive game.
Analysis: Samuelsson was on a seven-game point streak when he got hurt, with nine goals and 13 points. If healthy, he could be a low-end option for Fantasy Week 25 (April 5-11).
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson, who had nine goals in eight games before an injury to his shoulder March 16, returned to practice Monday and could play later this week.
Analysis: Samuelsson was really clicking alongside the Sedin twins before going down, but Alex Burrows has since taken his spot on the top line and is playing well in his absence. Samuelsson might have to bide his time on another scoring line until Burrows cools off.
News:The Province reports that Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson (shoulder) will not play Tuesday vs. the Coyotes.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been out since mid-March with this issue and isn't far away from returning. If you really need his services in Fantasy Week 24 (March 29-April 4), he looks like a relatively safe start, but it's no guarantee he will return on Thursday, either. When healthy, Samuelsson is worth a sleeper start in deeper leagues because of how well he's been playing.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson skated on his own before Friday's practice and could return as early as Tuesday against Phoenix from a right shoulder injury suffered on March 16, which would be close to the 2-3 week timeline outlined by the team.
Analysis: Samuelsson was on a seven-game point streak when he got hurt, with nine goals and 13 points. He was playing exceptionally well on the top line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, but his game really picked up in January after he was snubbed from the Swedish Olympic team. Samuelsson could be a sleeper option in Fantasy for the final weeks, but he remains a risky start for Week 24 (March 29-April 4).
News: According to the Canucks' official Twitter feed, RW Mikael Samuelsson will miss 2-3 weeks with an upper-body injury.
Analysis: Samuelsson was doing well on the top line with the Sedin brothers, but it looks like Alex Burrows will take his place there for the time being. With his career-high 53 points this season, Samuelsson is worth holding on to just in case he can return in early April to help your playoff run.
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson had his goal streak end at six games and nine goals when he failed to light the lamp in Sunday's win over the Flames. However, an assist extended his points run to seven games.
Analysis: Samuelsson has put a rough end to 2009 behind him with 27 points in 28 games since the new year. Get him active in almost all leagues while he's this red hot.
News: Vancouver winger Mikael Samuelsson had a very big game in the Canucks' 6-4 win over the Avalanche on Tuesday night. Samuelsson scored Vancouver's first goal in the second period for his 25th tally of the season to make the score 3-1 at the time. With the score 4-1 in the second, Samuelsson added another goal, his 26th, to close the gap to 4-2. He wasn't done, however, as just seven minutes later his 27th crossed the crease and the score became 4-3. Vancouver scored three more times in the third period and Samuelsson only managed an assist over that span. Still, he finished with the hat trick and an assist for four points on the night. This was his first NHL hat trick.
Analysis: Samuelsson had already scored goals in three straight games before this amazing night for the Swede. He now has 47 points on the season for the Canucks. He's looking like a must-start Fantasy option and is fast becoming one.
News:Mikael Samuelsson scored on a lazy, deflected popup that wafted over goalie Steve Mason's head, capping the Canucks' comeback from a two-goal deficit to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on Friday. "I don't know what to say," Samuelsson said, a slight grin creasing the corners of his mouth. "It was obviously a lucky one. Everybody saw that." Samuelsson took a short pass from Ryan Kesler, who played college hockey at nearby Ohio State, and attempted a one-timer from the high slot 8 minutes into the final period. Columbus forward Derick Brassard got a stick on the puck at almost the same time as Samuelsson followed through, the puck squirting up into the air and slowly drifting like a short chip shot, dropping just behind a befuddled Mason and barely skidding over the goal line. "We missed a few empty nets in the second, so we were probably due to get a break," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "We did get a break, and then (goalie Andrew) Raycroft shut them down."
Analysis: Samuelsson went down courtesy of Columbus D Milan Jurcina's high stick late in the first period but returned on that same double-minor. He has two goals in his last eight games, but Samuelsson is slowing down again in February after having a great run through January. Samuelsson is still peeved he didn't make the Swedish Olympic team, but he is now focused on helping Vancouver win games. He is a decent scoring threat, but Samuelsson is not a regular multi-point player and he can be streaky scorer. He remains a low-end Fantasy start.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson has been hot since being left off the Swedish Olympic team, recording nine goals and five assists in the 15 games since the Dec. 27 snub. But it wasn't enough to prevent him from being dropped off the second line Thursday in Ottawa, as Pavol Demitra moved up in his place alongside Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond.
Analysis: Samuelsson has already tied his goals total from 2008-09 with 19 scores. He is also on pace to set a new career high in goals, with his previous best being 23. He has done an admirable job in his first year with Vancouver, but Samuelsson still seems stuck in between a second- and third-line role. He is more of a low-end Fantasy start since he is not a regular multi-point threat.
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson scored a goal and finished at plus-1 on Monday against the Sabres. Samuelsson tied it at 1, cutting into the middle on a 2-on-2 rush and sliding a backhand between Ryan Miller's legs. He has scored in two straight games and tied his season-high with six goals in 11 January games.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been playing with a passion after since he was left off the Team Sweden roster for the Olympics. He is probably hoping with this last-ditch effort that he might make the team as an injury-replacement. Samuelsson has had a good first year with Vancouver. He is up to 18 goals and 35 points in 52 games. Still, he is more of a low-end Fantasy start since he is not a regular multi-point threat.
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson scored a goal and finished at plus-1 on Thursday against the Coyotes. Phoenix outshot Vancouver 15-6 in the second period, but the close game was decided when Samuelsson put in Ryan Kesler's sharp-angled pass from behind the net with only 4 seconds left in the second. Samuelsson has four goals and two assists during a six-game point streak.
Analysis: Samuelsson is up to 14 goals and 29 points in 44 games. He is starting to get on a roll again after cooling off in November and most of December. Samuelsson is doing well on a line with Kesler and Mason Raymond. But he will soon have to contend for playing time with Pavol Demitra, who is close to returning from a shoulder injury.
News: Vancouver RW Mikael Samuelsson scored his first goal since Nov. 28 against the Oilers on Tuesday in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Coyotes. The goal came on a wrist shot 10:49 into the second period with an assist from Henrik Sedin.
Analysis: Samuelsson got off to a great start in the month of October and his performance has slowed down tremendously since. He had a disappointing month of December, but hopefully this goal will help turn his fortunes around some. He remains just a low-end Fantasy option with 11 goals and 15 assists on the year.
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson scored a goal during Saturday's game against the Oilers. Samuelsson added another power-play goal midway through the third period as Vancouver went 4-for-5 with the man advantage. It was his 10th goal and second in four games.
Analysis: Samuelsson has slowed down dramatically in November after blazing the competition in October. It's not surprising since Samuelsson did the same thing last season with Detroit -- cooling down after a hot start. Samuelsson is going to be a top-six forward for most of the season in Vancouver and log power-play time, but he still remains a low-end Fantasy start.
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson scored his sixth goal of the season in Thursday's win over the Kings.
Analysis: Samuelsson now has 12 points in 13 games and is really thriving without Daniel Sedin. Continue to use him in most formats until Sedin is back.
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelsson scored and assisted in Wednesday's win over the Blackhawks and now has nine points in his first nine games.
Analysis: Samuelsson is making the most of his increased role in the Vancouver offense since Daniel Sedin went down injured, and the former Red Wing is probably worth using in most formats for the next couple of weeks.
News: Canucks RW Mikael Samuelson has five points (2G, 3A) in five games to start this season.
Analysis: Samuelsson disappointed in his final two seasons with Detroit, but did have 34 points in 53 games back in 2006-07. He got 20 minutes of ice time in his last game, and could be benefiting from the absence of the injured Daniel Sedin. Keep an eye on him over the next couple of weeks and add him in any format if you need help at the wing position.
News:Kevin Bieksa, Alexandre Burrows, and Mikael Samuelsson had goals for Vancouver during Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Flames. Samuelsson redirected Alexander Edler's pass around Miikka Kiprusoff at 18:10 of the second as Flames defenseman Robyn Regehr served a holding penalty. He finished at minus-1 and took four shots.
Analysis: Samuelsson made his debut for Vancouver Thursday after signing a three-year deal in the offseason. He did exactly what Vancouver had hoped for and they can only pray it continues. Samuelsson is going to get scoring chances in 2009-10 and it could be a career year now that he is out of the shadow of the superstars in Detroit. Still, Samuelsson is more of a low-end Fantasy forward until his numbers really jump off the page.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Canucks general Manager Mike Gillis did all his big-ticket shopping before the free agent market opened on July 1 by re-signing identical twins and top line forwards Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin to matching five year, $30.5-million contract extensions. So it's not surprising things have been quiet since, with the biggest splash the signing of ex-Red Wings forward Mikael Samuelsson to a three-year, $7.5-million deal. Just as the lack of a bigger name was about money -- and the Canucks lack of it under the salary cap -- so was Samuelsson's decision. "Obviously (money) was the key, I shouldn't lie," Samuelsson said of the July 3 deal. "I liked it in Detroit, I have no hard feelings for them. But they came up too short, and too late. In my mind they made their choices when they signed guys through the year."
Analysis: After registering 40 points in each of the last two seasons in a mostly third-line role with the much deeper Red Wings, the Canucks see Samuelsson as a possible fit with the Sedin twins on at least the top power play unit, if not the line at even strength too. Unlike Alexandre Burrows, who had a career year on the twins' wing at even strength, the versatile Samuelsson is a right-hand shot, something the Sedins play off well on the power play. In fact, Samuelsson has already spent time playing with Daniel and Henrik on Sweden's gold-medal winning team at the 2006 Olympics. "At the Olympics they played together and I think at the World Championships they did at one time," assistant GM Lorne Henning said. "We've liked Mikael for a long time. We liked a lot of things he brought to the table. ...He's certainly going to be on the top two lines." The Canucks finally seemed to have solved their right-wing woes on the top line with Burrows late in the 2008-09 season, but it never hurts to have a veteran presence like Samuelsson. He could be a breakout Fantasy player in 2009-10 alongside the Sedin twins, but Samuelsson is more of a sleeper than must-have option Draft Day.
News: Free agent forward Mikael Samuelsson signed a $7.5 million, three-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. "Obviously (the money) was the key, I shouldn't lie," Samuelsson said in a conference call after signing the deal. Samuelsson believes the Canucks, who signed brothers Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin of Sweden to contract extensions this week, can contend for the Stanley Cup. "I like the team," he said. "When you play against Vancouver it's always a hard game and a skill game too. You need some experience (to win the Cup). You need to be hungry. I believe we can do some damage."
Analysis: The Swedish right wing spent the past four seasons in Detroit, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008 and falling one game short this past season. The 32-year-old forward has 86 goals and 208 points in 466 career NHL games. He has 40 points in two straight seasons and four of five. Samuelsson will be a nice complement on the wings for the Canucks, but he is still going to have low-end Fantasy appeal Draft Day.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson scored a goal and finished at plus-1 during Sunday's game against the Predators. Samuelsson's power-play goal gave Detroit a 2-1 lead with 4:47 left in the second period. It came with the Red Wings holding a two-man advantage. Samuelsson put in a one-time shot from the left circle for his 19th goal.
Analysis: Samuelsson was a big hit earlier in the season when he posted 21 points in his first 23 games. He hasn't come close to that production since December. Samuelsson has just eight points (seven goals) in his last 27 games and is back to being a streaky low-end Fantasy forward.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson has a tendency to be a streaky scorer. He has two goals in his last three games after going 11 games without a point.
Analysis: Samuelsson was a big hit earlier in the season when he posted 21 points in his first 23 games. He hasn't come close to that production since December and is back to being a streaky low-end Fantasy forward.
News: Detroit RW Mikael Samuelsson scored for the 16th time this season on Friday off of Columbus goalie Steve Mason in a 3-2 loss. The goal tied the game up at 2-2 4:04 into the third period off of a wrist shot.
Analysis: Samuelsson has scored goals in back to back games and has four goals in his last six contests. He is having a solid season and is worth using as a No. 5 or No. 6 Fantasy forward.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson scored a goal and finished at even in 17:52 of ice time Thursday against the Wild. Samuelsson opened the scoring 9:26 into the game when he put in a puck from the crease after Brett Lebda's shot trickled through Josh Harding's pads. It was Samuelsson's 15th goal and third in five games.
Analysis: Samuelsson has slowed down a bit offensively after totaling 21 points in his first 23 games. He has just 14 points in his last 31 outings. He is still having a fine season, but Samuelsson is more of a No. 5 or No. 6 Fantasy forward.
News: Detroit RW Mikael Samuelsson scored the Red Wings' fourth goal early on in the third period in a 5-4 win on Wednesday. Samuelsson scored on the power-play 5:44 into the third period with a one-time shot from the bottom of the left circle to make it 4-2. It was Samuelsson's 13th goal.
Analysis: Samuelsson is having a breakout season but hadn't tallied a single point since the All-Star break before Wednesday's game. He now has 33 points on the season with 13 goals and 20 assists. He is a solid option in larger leagues.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson scored a power-play goal during Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Coyotes. Samuelsson gave Detroit a 1-0 lead at 9:59 of the first when he slid a shot from the bottom of the left circle just inside the near post. It was his seventh goal in 14 games.
Analysis: Samuelsson opened December without a point in his first eight games and it was the biggest slump of his breakout season. He has been a regular to the stat sheet over the last 14 games and continues his march toward a career season. Samuelsson is a nice Fantasy option in larger leagues.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson scored and assisted in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Sabres. He now has 10 goals and 19 assists on the season.
Analysis: Samuelsson remains on pace to set career marks in assists and points this season and is a nice low-end starting Fantasy forward option in deeper leagues.
News: Detroit RW Mikael Samuelsson scored with less than three minutes to go in the game on Saturday against the Sabres to put his team up 2-1 and ultimately go on to a 3-1 victory. Samuelsson was also credited with an assist on the first goal of the game scored by Jiri Hudler.
Analysis: Samuelsson hadn't recorded a point in his past two games but made up for it with a two-point performace on Saturday. He now has points in four of his last six games, but shouldn't be considered more than a decent option in deeper leagues.
News: Detroit RW Mikael Samuelsson returned to action after an illness on Thursday in the Winter Classic outdoors at Wrigley Field against the Blackhawks. Samuelsson helped the Red Wings to a 6-4 win by scoring on a nifty pass from Henrik Zetterberg in the 1st period.
Analysis: Samuelsson has three goals and two assists in his last five games and is once again starting to heat up after a bit of a slump. Samuelsson does well for himself despite playing behind a lot of talented scorers, but still remains a low-end Fantasy forward.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson was scratched from Tuesday's game against the Blackhawks because of an illness. He remains questionable heading into Thursday's rematch with Chicago.
Analysis: Samuelsson has two goals and two assists in his last four games and is once again starting to heat up after a bit of a slump. Samuelsson does well for himself despite playing behind a lot of talented scorers, but still remains a low-end Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports that Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson is sick and will be a game-time decision for Tuesday's contest vs. Chicago. “He wasn’t here this morning, again sick,” Coach Mike Babock said, “So there’s still time.”
Analysis: Samuelsson scored 13 points in November, but then suddenly stopped scoring when the calendar flipped to December. Continue to view Samuelsson as a low-end starting Fantasy forward in deeper formats when healthy.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson ended his eight-game December point drought when he scored his sixth goal of the season in a win over the Kings.
Analysis: Samuelsson scored 13 points in November, but then suddenly stopped scoring when the calendar flipped to December. He saw plenty of time on the second line Saturday, so maybe good things are coming. Continue to view Samuelsson as a low-end starting Fantasy forward in deeper formats.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson has 21 points in 24 games this season and is on pace for a career-high 70 points. His previous best is 40.
Analysis: Samuelsson averaged 39.7 points a season during his first three with the Red Wings, but he's been getting top-six time in Detroit so far in 2008-09 and is making the most of his opportunity. He started the year owned in only 24 percent, but is now up to 63 percent. He's a great low-end guy to have in deeper leagues, and hopefully he can keep this pace up.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson scored a goal and finished at plus-2 during Monday's 4-0 win against the Oilers. Samuelsson tipped in Brett Lebda's pass out of the corner for his fourth of the season three minutes into the second period. He now has three goals and five assists in his last six games.
Analysis: Samuelsson has had multi-point efforts in three games during his recent hot stretch. He now has 16 points in 17 games and has been one of the Red Wings top scorers in 2008-09. He is well on his way to eclipsing his career-high of 45 points. Samuelsson has been bouncing between the second and third line all season. But the fact he gets time on the power play also helps his cause. Despite the strong start, Samuelsson is still a low-end Fantasy forward.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson had a goal, assist and plus-1 rating in 14:55 of ice time Thursday against the Lightning. Detroit went ahead 3-2 on Samuelsson's shot from the top of the right circle at 2:30 of the third period. It was his third goal and second on the power play.
Analysis: Samuelsson has had multi-point efforts in three of his last four games. He now has 14 points in 15 games and has been one of the Red Wings top scorers in 2008-09. He is well on his way to eclipsing his career-high of 45 points. Samuelsson has been bouncing between the second and third line all season. But the fact he gets time on the power play also helps his cause. Despite the strong start, Samuelsson is still a low-end Fantasy forward.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson reached 10 assists on the season Tuesday when he helped out twice in a 7-6 loss to the Penguins.
Analysis: Samuelsson dropped to the third line in Detroit on Tuesday and only played 13:32, but with the amount of talent in the Motor City, he's still going to be a relatively productive bench option worth owning in deeper leagues.
News: The Detroit News reports that Red Wings C Jiri Hudler and RW Mikael Samuelsson are the big losers in the line shuffles necessitated by the return of Johan Franzen. Hudler will drop to the fourth line, while Samuelsson will be demoted to the third line. Hudler will remain on the power play, however.
Analysis: Hudler has nine points but only two goals this season, and his lack of scoring has seen him drop from a line with Henrik Zetterberg to a line with the likes of Tomas Kopecky, Kirk Maltby or Darren McCarty. Hudler still has some value in deeper leagues because of his power play presence, but you should probably bench him for the time being. Samuelsson also has only two goals this season, and should be left for deeper formats too.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson assisted twice in Saturday's win over the Blackhawks, and now has seven points in his last four games.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been moved up to the tsecond scoring line in Detroit after Jiri Hudler failed to captialize. Samuelsson is taking full advantage of his chance and could remain there as long as he is productive. Samuelsson remains a low-end Fantasy forward for now, but one worth keeping a close eye on.
News:Mikael Samuelsson had a goal and two assists for Detroit during Saturday's 5-4 win against the Rangers. Samuelsson opened the scoring just 28 seconds in when he tipped in Derek Meech's shot from the point. He now has four points in five games.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been moved up to the team's second scoring line after Jiri Hudler failed to captialize on that line. Samuelsson took full advantage Saturday and could remain there as long as he is productive. Samuelsson remains a low-end Fantasy forward.
News: Detroit played its regular-season finale Sunday against the Blackhawks without LW Kirk Maltby (hamstring), C Kris Draper (groin) and RW Mikael Samuelsson (groin). They are all questionable for the first round of the 2007-08 playoffs.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been playing on a line recently with Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, but hasn't really thrived on that cash-cow of a line. He remains just a low-end Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson was not active Thursday against the Blue Jackets because of a groin injury. He has missed the last three games and is questionable for Sunday against the Blackhawks. He has one goal, one assist and a minus-2 rating in six games against Chicago.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been playing on a line recently with Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, but hasn't really thrived on that cash-cow of a line. He remains just a low-end Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson was not active Wednesday against the Blackhawks because of a groin injury. He has missed the last two games and is questionable for Thursday against the Blue Jackets.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been playing on a line recently with Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, but hasn't really thrived on that cash-cow of a line. He remains just a low-end Fantasy forward when healthy.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson was not active Sunday against the Predators because of a groin injury. He is day to day and questionable for Wednesday against the Blackhawks. He has one goal, one assist and a minus-2 rating in six games against Chicago.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been playing on a line recently with Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, but hasn't really thrived on that cash-cow of a line. He remains just a low-end Fantasy forward when healthy. He is a risky start for Fantasy Week 27 (March 31-April 6).
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson extended his current point streak to five games Sunday with an assist in a 4-3 win over the Predators.
Analysis: Samuelsson has a goal and four assists during his streak, but only has 37 points this season. That makes him nothing more than a low-end reserve in deeper Fantasy formats.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson tallied an assist and finished at plus-2 during Thursday's game against the Kings. He is at plus-3 in his last two games, but has just one goal and two assists in his last seven contests.
Analysis: Samuelsson hit the 20-assist mark for the third straight season Thursday. He has had a few good months this season, but has been pretty unspectacular with 28 points in 52 games. He continues to be just a No. 5 or No. 6 Fantasy forward.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson tallied a goal and an assist Tuesday as Detroit shut out the Kings 3-0. He now has four points in his last four games.
Analysis: Samuelsson has 27 points this season, and has put together four decent point periods. He is a very streaky player and only plays about 16 minutes a game, so is only worthy of consideration in larger leagues as a reserve or No. 5 forward.
News: Detroit RW Mikael Samuelsson helped his team with a power-play goal Sunday in the 3-1 win at Chicago. Samuelsson took a final rush toward the net with 8.5 seconds in the first period and took advantage of traffic in front of the crease to score.
Analysis: Samuelsson has not had a point in the previous three games, but he has four goals and five assists in the last nine games. He has seven goals and 14 assists in 39 games this season. The veteran is worth consideration to be picked up off the wire and to be used as a No. 4 Fantasy winger.
News: With Red Wings veterans Henrik Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom out injured, forwards Valtteri Filppula and Mikael Samuelsson will be looked upon to help out in the Detroit offense for at least the next 10 days. Filppula has two goals on Wednesday, while Samuelsson had two assists.
Analysis: Filppula is a young prospect who has already surpassed his scoring totals from his rookie season of 2006-07, while Samuelsson is a veteran who just turned 31 and had 45 points two seasons ago. Both are definitely worth grabbing off the wire if you need forward help for Fantasy Week 14 (Dec. 31-Jan. 6).
News: RW Mikael Samuelsson ended a 13-game goal-scoring drought by scoring Thursday at St. Louis after taking a long outlet pass from Nicklas Lidstrom.
Analysis: Samuelsson has had two of his best seasons in his first two years in Detroit and appears headed for another decent season with 14 points in 29 games. He remains a decent No. 4 or 5 Fantasy winger at this time.
News: Red Wings' RW Mikael Samuelsson injured his elbow when he was checked hard into the boards by Washington's Donald Brashear 9:41 into the second period. Brashear received a roughing penalty and Henrik Zetterberg scored. Samuelsson returned in the third period.
Analysis: Samuelsson has had two of his best seasons in his first two years in Detroit and appears headed for another decent season with 14 points in 29 games. He remains a decent No. 4 or 5 Fantasy winger at this time.
News:Henrik Zetterberg and Mikael Samuelsson scored for Detroit, which snapped St. Louis' four-game winning streak Wednesday.
Analysis: Samuelsson made it 2-0 with a power-play goal 5:16 into the second period. He beat G Manny Legace with a wrist shot from the right faceoff dot for his third goal. Samuelsson has had two of his best seasons in his first two years in Detroit and appears headed for another solid season with 12 points in 17 games. He remains a decent No. 4 Fantasy forward at this time.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson was back in the lineup Saturday against the Blackhawks after missing one game because of personal reasons. He did not record a point and finished at minus-3 in 14:23 of ice time.
Analysis: Samuelsson has had two of his best seasons in his first two years in Detroit and appears headed for another solid season with 11 points in 15 games. He remains a decent No. 4 Fantasy forward at this time.
News: RW Mikael Samuelsson missed Tuesday's game at St. Louis after returning home Monday to be with his wife, who delivered the couple's third child.
Analysis: Samuelsson has had two of his best seasons in his first two years in Detroit and appears headed for another solid season with 11 points in 13 games. He remains a decent No. 4 Fantasy forward at this time.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson assisted on two goals and finished with an even rating during Friday's game against the Blue Jackets. He has one goal and six assists in his last seven games.
Analysis: Samuelsson has had two of his best seasons in his first two years in Detroit and appears headed for another solid season with 11 points in 13 games. He remains a decent No. 4 Fantasy forward at this time.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (groin) was able to return to the lineup for Saturday's game at Phoenix. He was scoreless with a plus-1 rating with three shots on goal in 13:02 of ice time.
Analysis: It appears safe to get Samuelsson back into the active lineup in all deeper leagues heading into Fantasy Week 4 (Oct. 22-28).
News:The Sports Xchange notes: Detroit RW Mikael Samuelsson skated Thursday morning but sat out against San Jose Thursday with a strained groin, and RW Johan Franzen was scratched for the sixth time this season with a sprained knee. Detroit then lost Dallas Drake in the second period to an undisclosed injury. "I hit my face, my cheekbone, on the partition of the glass, and I was a little woozy coming off," Drake said. "I have a bad headache, but that's to be expected."
Analysis: Samuelsson had managed a goal and three assists while playing with Henrik Zetterberg, but his old linemate is now on a blazing hot line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom. Keep Samuelsson reserved in all Fantasy leagues until he can officially return and prove his health.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (groin) has missed the past two games due to a groin injury, but he is hopeful of returning for Thursday's game against the Sharks. "Hopefully, it'll feel good by then," Samuelsson told the Detroit News. "I doesn't feel worse (than the day before), but it's still there and I have to be careful with it."
Analysis: Samuelsson had managed a goal and three assists while playing with Henrik Zetterberg, but his old linemate is now on a blazing hot line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom. Keep Samuelsson reserved in all Fantasy leagues until he can officially return and prove his health.
News: RW Mikael Samuelsson missed Sunday's game because of a groin injury. He'll sit out Monday's game in Anaheim but is expected to return Thursday in San Jose.
Analysis: After going scoreless in the regular season opener, Samuelsson has managed three points over the past three games. He remains a solid No. 4 or 5 Fantasy forward when healthy, but owners should reserve him for Week 3 (Oct. 15-22).
News: Mikael Samuelsson had a goal and an assist to lift Detroit to a 4-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night. He finished with a plus-2 rating and a game-high eight shots on goal in 17:09 of ice time.
Analysis: After going scoreless in the regular season opener, Samuelsson has managed three points over the past two games. He remains a solid No. 4 or 5 Fantasy forward in leagues of 12 or more teams.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports the early signs out of training camp are that Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg will be split up to center the top two scoring lines for the Red Wings. It appears Datsyuk will skate with Tomas Holmstrom and either Johan Franzen or Jiri Hudler up top, with Zetterberg skating with Mikael Samuelsson and the loser of the Franzen/Hudler battle on the second line.
Analysis: In case you were wondering, the third line projections are Valtteri Filppula with Dan Cleary and Kris Draper and the fourth line might be Tomas Kopecky, Kirk Maltby and Dallas Drake. This is all certainly very early and it can change with injuries, tremendous performances during training camp and the preseason, etc. Samuelsson should be a nice late-round pick for Fantasy owners in leagues of 12 or more teams heading into 2007-08.
News: Mikael Samuelsson made an impact in his first game in more than a month. His goal 3:26 into overtime completed a comeback and gave the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night. Samuelsson had been out since late January with a broken bone in his foot.
Analysis: Finally, it appears safe to get Samuelsson back into active Fantasy lineups. When healthy, he is a solid No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward.
News: The Detroit News reports Mikael Samuelsson (broken right foot) is hopeful of being cleared to skate soon, but he remains sidelined and might not be back until mid-March.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been sidelined since Jan. 20 and should be kept reserved in all Fantasy leagues until he can officially return and prove his health.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson, out since Jan. 20 with a broken foot, hopes to return to the lineup next week.
Analysis: Samuelsson has 11 goals, 13 assists and a plus-6 rating in 38 games this season. It looks as though he is nearing a return, but Fantasy owners are advised to keep him out of Fantasy lineups until he looks to be at 100 percent. When healthy, he is a decent low-end forward in most Fantasy leagues.
News: The Detroit News reports Mikael Samuelsson (broken right foot) was on crutches and limping noticeably on Tuesday, a day after coming off the ice in discomfort. An X-ray showed that his foot is still broken, so he will rest the remainder of the week. "Something wasn't really good (in New York)," he said. "Before that, I felt great and skated hard. Maybe I was just a little too anxious to get back."
Analysis: Samuelsson should be reserved in all Fantasy leagues for the time being, as he is still out indefinitely and no where near returning to action at this point.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson skated Friday for the first time since breaking his right foot on Jan. 20. There is no time frame yet for his return.
Analysis: Samuelsson was having a good season before getting injured. He had 11 goals and 13 assists in 38 games. He continues to be out indefinitely. When healthy, he is worth using as a low-end Fantasy forward.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson will be sidelined for several weeks because of a broken right foot, sustained last Saturday in Colorado when he blocked a shot.
Analysis: Samuelsson was having a good season before getting injured. He had 11 goals and 13 assists in 38 games. Expect him to be benched for a considerable amount of time. When healthy, he is worth using as a low-end Fantasy forward.
News: Samuelsson has posted 11 goals, 24 points and a solid plus-6 rating through 38 games at the All-Star break.
Analysis: Samuelsson continues to play well and is worthy of a spot as a No. 4 or 5 Fantasy forward in most leagues.
News: Mikael Samuelsson was forced to leave Saturday's game at Los Angeles after taking a slap shot in the knee from a teammate. He had scored a goal before departing.
Analysis: Samuelsson was able to play in Sunday's game at Anaheim, so appears he left just as a precaution on Saturday. Keep him in the active lineup in all leagues for Fantasy Week 15 (Jan. 8-14).
News: Mikael Samuelsson (groin) picked up an assist with a plus-1 rating in 15:49 of ice time in Tuesday's game against the Ducks.
Analysis: It appears safe to get Samuelsson back into the active Fantasy lineup in all leagues which allow daily transactions.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson has missed six games with a pulled groin, but is due back for Sunday's game against the Kings.
Analysis: If you want to take the chance and play Samuelsson on Sunday, it appears somewhat safe to do. Although you probably will be best suited to keep him reserved until he is officially back on the ice.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (groin) missed his sixth consecutive game on Thursday night at Buffalo.
Analysis: Samuelsson remains day to day. Keep him reserved in all Fantasy leagues until he can officially return and prove his health.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (groin) was unable to play in Wednesday's game against the Wild, missing his fifth straight game.
Analysis: Samuelsson remains day to day. Keep him reserved in all Fantasy leagues until he can officially return and prove his health.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports Mikael Samuelsson (groin) is OUT for Saturday's game at Minnesota.
Analysis: Keep Samuelsson reserved for Fantasy Week 13 (Dec. 25-31) and do not re-insert him into the lineup until he can prove his health.
News: Detroit RW Mikael Samuelsson missed his third game because of a groin injury on Friday against the Wild.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been playing well with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg when healthy. Keep him reserved in all daily Fantasy leagues if you have healthier alternatives
News: Detroit RW Mikael Samuelsson missed his second game on Wednesday with an injured groin.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been playing well with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg when healthy. Keep him reserved in all daily Fantasy leagues if you have healthier alternatives.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports Mikael Samuelsson is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jackets due to a groin injury.
Analysis: Samuelsson has been playing well with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg when healthy. Keep him reserved in all daily Fantasy leagues if you have healthier alternatives.
News: Detroit LW Mikael Samuelsson returned to play against Calgary Wednesday after missing five games with a shoulder injury.
Analysis: Samuelsson is only worth using in larger Fantasy formats.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson (shoulder) did not play Saturday against the Blues.
Analysis: Samuelsson is considered day to day. He is only worth hanging onto in larger Fantasy leagues right now anyway.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson (shoulder) did not play Friday against the Stars.
Analysis: Samuelsson is considered day to day. He is only worth hanging onto in larger Fantasy leagues right now anyway.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson (shoulder) did not play Wednesday against the Sharks.
Analysis: Samuelsson is considered day to day. He is only worth hanging onto in larger Fantasy leagues right now anyway.
News: The Detroit News reports Mikael Samuelsson is considered questionable for Wednesday's game against the Sharks due to a shoulder injury.
Analysis: Samuelsson is considered day to day. He is only worth hanging onto in larger Fantasy leagues right now anyway.
News: Mikael Samuelsson has averaged a point per game through five starts this season, posting two goals to go along with three assists and a plus-4 rating.
Analysis: Samuelsson is on the move in CBS Sportsline.com Fantasy leagues, now owned in 36 percent of leagues right. He might be a steal for those who are looking for depth at the forward position.
News: Mikael Samuelsson scored twice to help the Detroit Red Wings to rout Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday night 9-2.
Analysis: Samuelsson is owned in 25 percent of leagues right now, but could be a steal for those who are looking for depth at the forward position. The Red Wings inked him to a three-year deal in the offseason so they obviously believe the talent is there.
News: Detroit signed RW Mikael Samuelsson to a three-year contract extension on Saturday.
Analysis: Samuelsson is a decent talent in all larger Fantasy leagues.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (wrist) was back in the lineup on Thursday after missing the past nine games. He had a goal, plus-1 rating and two shots on net in 13:03 of ice time against the Sharks.
Analysis: Despite the goal, give Samuelsson at least one more game to make sure he is healthy before considering him for your active Fantasy lineup.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (wrist) was sidelined again for Tuesday's game against the Predators.
Analysis: Samuelsson remains day to day. Keep him reserved in all Fantasy leagues until he can officially return and prove his health.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports Mikael Samuelsson (wrist) is questionable for Tuesday's game against the Predators.
Analysis: Samuelsson has missed the past seven games due to the injury. Keep him reserved in all Fantasy leagues until he can prove his health in consecutive games.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (wrist) isn't likely to return before next week according to the Detroit Free Press.
Analysis: He is nearing a return, but should be kept reserved in all Fantasy leagues until he can officially play and prove his health.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (wrist) missed his third consecutive game on Thursday against the Kings.
Analysis: Samuelsson remains day to day. He is nearing a return, but should be kept reserved in all Fantasy leagues until he can officially play and prove his health.
News: Mikael Samuelsson was a late scratch in Tuesday's game against the Coyotes due to his wrist injury.
Analysis: Samuelsson was initially listed in the lineup, but he was unable to go. He remains day to day.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (wrist) was back in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Coyotes.
Analysis: It appears safe to get Samuelsson back into the active Fantasy lineup in all leagues which allow daily transactions.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports Mikael Samuelsson has a sore right wrist and that is why he missed Saturday's game at Phoenix. Coach Mike Babcock said he could have played, but was rested as a precaution.
Analysis: Samuelsson should be in the lineup for Tuesday's second half of the home-and-home against the Coyotes. If he does not play, this is the reason he is unable to go and it might be more serious than the coach is letting on.
News: Mikael Samuelsson was scoreless with one shot on goal in 10:52 of ice time in Wednesday's game at Anaheim.
Analysis: It appear safe to get Samuelsson back into the active Fantasy lineup in all leagues which allow daily transactions for Saturday's game in Phoenix.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports Mikael Samuelsson will sit for Tuesday's game at San Jose, as the Red Wings will rest all of their Swedish players after they just played in Sunday's Gold Medal game in the 2006 Winter Olympics on Turin.
Analysis: Samuelsson, Tomas Holmstrom, Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg will all be rested and are expected to return on Wednesday at Anaheim. It is unclear if the team will rest Niklas Kronwall, who also played on Sunday, although the report said all Swedish players. This will leave the four or five Swedes with just two games in the scoring Period 20, so consider alternatives if you are in cumulative Fantasy leagues.
News: Mikael Samuelsson was scoreless with a plus-1 rating in Wednesday's preliminary round win against Team Switzerland.
Analysis: Samuelsson is a decent talent in all larger Fantasy leagues for when play resumes in the NHL.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports that Henrik Zetterberg will move from wing to center at Minnesota Monday in hopes of breaking Detroit's string of four games without an even-strength goal. Head coach Mike Bobcock said he was going to juggle forwards, moving Kris Draper to left wing and Mikael Samuelsson will replace Zetterberg at wing. "On the road, they can match up against you," Babcock said. "Well, I mean, when Datsyuk and Zetterberg are on the same line, who are they matching against? So, changing that up sometimes is good."
Analysis: The Red Wings haven't scored a 5-on-5 goal since Jan. 21 at Colorado. Zetterberg should be starting in all formats. Draper isn't a strong Fantasy start in most formats. Samuelsson has a plus-17 with 16 goals this season. Continue starting him as a No. 3 or 4 winger in most formats.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (leg) was back in the lineup for Tuesday's game at Dallas.
Analysis: It appears safe to get Samuelsson back into the active Fantasy lineup in all daily leagues.
News: Red Wings RW Mikael Samuelsson missed Friday's game at Chicago because of a sore lower right leg.
Analysis: Samuelsson was hit by a shot Tuesday against Columbus.
News: Mikael Samuelsson will join Detroit teammates Niklas Kronwall, Nicklas Lidström and Henrik Zetterberg on the Team Sweden roster for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
Analysis: Samuelsson will be representing his country for the first time at the Olympics Games.
News: The Detroit Free Press reports Samuelsson, who has been held up by visa problems, is set to arrive in camp on Friday.
Analysis: Samuelsson was originally expected to line up with either Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg or Robert Lang and Brendan Shanahan, but the team might go another way now with less than a week until the team's opener against the Blues.
News: The Detroit Red Wings signed forward Mikael Samuelsson to a one-year contract, the team said Saturday.
Analysis: Samuelsson, 28, originally was drafted by San Jose in the fifth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He has played for the Sharks, the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh and Florida, accumulating 19 goals and 30 assists in his 188 NHL games. He's not worth drafting in Fantasy play.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (knee) returned to the lineup on Thursday. He was scoreless and a minus-1 in 9:49 of ice time.
Analysis: Samuelsson is not a useful Fantasy player.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (thumb) returned to the lineup on Tuesday at Toronto, but he later left with a knee injury and was unable to return.
Analysis: Samuelsson's return date is unclear. When healthy, he has no Fantasy value.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (thumb) missed another game on Tuesday against Montreal.
Analysis: Samuelsson's return date is unclear. When healthy, he is not a useful Fantasy player.
News: Mikael Samuelsson (thumb) missed another game on Wednesday.
Analysis: Samuelsson might return after the All-Star break. Keep him reserved in all Fantasy leagues.
News: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Samuelsson (sore thumb) is listed as doubtful at San Jose Tuesday.
Analysis: Samuelsson has little Fantasy value when healthy.
News: The Panthers placed Samuelsson on injured reserve on Monday due to a broken jaw, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He won't be eligible to return until Sunday in Montreal.
Analysis: Samuelsson is not useful in Fantasy leagues when healthy.
News: Mikael Samuelsson left Friday's game against Atlanta and missed Saturday's game in Washington with a jaw injury.
Analysis: Samuelsson, whose status is day to day, isn't useful in Fantasy leagues.
News: Samuelsson was sent to the Panthers as part of a big trade. The Florida Panthers traded the top pick overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft for Samuelsson and the third pick overall. The Penguins selected goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury from Cape Breton of the QMJHL with the top pick. The Panthers nabbed center Nathan Horton from Oshawa of the OHL. Samuelsson will likely be a third-liner with the Panthers and will have minimal Fantasy appeal.
Analysis:
News: Samuelsson (knee) might return Sunday, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He practiced Friday without any pain in his sprained knee. He is questionable for Sunday's game against Florida. He is best used as a reserve in larger leagues.
Analysis:
News: Samuelsson was acquired by the Penguins in Monday's Alexei Kovalev trade. While Samuelsson is in the midst of a career year, he's unlikely to receive enough of a boost to his Fantasy value to be worth using in a larger league unless he can land on a line with Mario Lemieux.
Analysis:
