Morgan Samuelsson (6 April 1968 – 3 September 2023) was a Swedish ice hockey player and coach who played as a centre.[1] He was the brother of Magnus Samuelsson, a footballer.[2]

Morgan Samuelsson
Born (1968-04-06)6 April 1968
Boden, Sweden
Died 3 September 2023(2023-09-03) (aged 55)
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 92 kg (203 lb; 14 st 7 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Luleå HF
Södertälje SK
AIK IF
Boden Hockey
Kassel Huskies
Kölner Haie
Lausitzer Füchse
ZSC Lions
SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
HC Thurgau
EK Zeller Eisbären
HC Davos
Coached for SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
HC Sierre
HC Bozen–Bolzano
Åkers IF
NHL draft 123rd overall, 1986
Quebec Nordiques
Playing career 1983–2002
Coaching career 2004–2011

Playing career

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Born in Boden on 6 April 1968, Samuelsson began playing ice hockey at a local athletic club, also participating in football, floorball, and bandy until the age of 15, when he began to focus solely on ice hockey.[2] He played his first game in Hockeyettan in 1983. He then joined the Swedish Hockey League with Luleå HF, where he stayed for two seasons before joining AIK IF in the summer of 1992.

In 1996, Samuelsson joined the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, playing a season with the Kassel Huskies and the Kölner Haie. During the 1997–98 DEL season, he left Kölner and joined the Lausitzer Füchse. He left Germany in 1999 and joined HC Davos for the Spengler Cup. The following season, he played in 23 matches for HC Thurgau and returned to Davos for the Spengler Cup,[3] which he won.[4] He participated in the final games of the regular season, as well as the playoffs, with ZSC Lions, with whom he won the championship after scoring the decisive goal against Cristobal Huet.[5] In the 2001–02 season, he was injured in the playoffs with SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers and retired from playing.[6]

Samuelsson had played in the 1986 IIHF European U18 Championship with Sweden, with whom he won a silver medal.[7] That year, he entered into the 1986 NHL Draft, where he was selected 123rd overall in the 6th round by the Quebec Nordiques.

Coaching career

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In the 2004–05 Nationalliga A season, Samuelsson served as head coach for HC Sierre, which he left in 2006. He then became coach for HC Bozen–Bolzano, with whom he won the Coppa Italia in 2009, but he was fired the following season.[8] He started the 2007–2008 season with Djurgårdens IF Hockey before replacing Kari Eloranta as coach of the SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers,[9] which he managed to qualify for the playoffs.[10]

Samuelsson became coach of Åkers Hockey, which played in Hockeytvåan.[11] He returned to HC Sierre for the 2008–09 season, where he replaced Bruno Aegerter for the remainder of the season.[12] He was returned to HC Sierre again in 2010, this time to replace Bob Mongrain.[13] He was fired on 9 November 2011.[14]

Death

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Samuelsson died on 3 September 2023, at the age of 55.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Morgan Samuelsson". HockeyFans.ch (in German).
  2. ^ a b Taillard, Michaël (1 June 2012). "Samuelsson et la passion suédoise". Radio Télévision Suisse (in French). Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Coupe Spengler: Davos doit vaincre l'opposition et la fatigue". Swissinfo (in French). 25 December 2000. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  4. ^ Froidevaux, Mathias (31 December 2000). "Coupe Spengler: un 11ème sacre pour Davos". Swissinfo (in French). Davos. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  5. ^ Froidevaux, Mathias (8 April 2001). "Les Lions de Zurich au bout du suspens". Swissinfo (in French). Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Zurich favori, Davos ambitieux". Swissinfo (in French). 29 March 2002. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Championnat d'Europe 1986 des moins de 18 ans". hockeyarchives.info (in French).
  8. ^ "HC Bolzano". hockeyarchives.info (in French).
  9. ^ Branchu, Marc (26 November 2007). "Suisse : Rapperswil a un nouvel entraîneur". Hockey Archives (in French). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Quarts de finale (28 février, 1er, 3, 6, 8, 11 et 13 mars 2008)". hockeyarchives.info (in French).
  11. ^ "Samuelsson remercié". National League (in French). 17 November 2008. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  12. ^ "Morgan Samuelsson de retour à Sierre". Planète Hockey (in French). 28 January 2001. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  13. ^ "HCSA: arrivée de Samuelsson confirmée". Planète Hockey (in French). 27 October 2010. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  14. ^ "HCS: Samuelsson doit faire ses valises". Planète Hockey (in French). 9 November 2011. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  15. ^ "Morgan Samuelsson, champion avec les Zurich Lions, est mort". RTN (in French). 3 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
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