Twenty Years Later - Ulf Samuelsson - 01-04-11
"Twenty Years Later" is a segment, with a highly unimaginative name, which will appear on Empty Netters throughout the 2010-11 season. We will examine the Penguins' 1990-91 season which led to the first Stanley Cup title in franchise history. We will look back on games on a particular date and catch up with former players, coaches, executives and media members who were a part or around that team.
Today, we talk with former Penguins defenseman Ulf Samuelsson.
Samuelsson came to the Penguins in arguably the biggest transaction in franchise history at the 1991 trade deadline. The Penguins dealt the team's leading scorer in forward John Cullen along with offensive defenseman Zarley Zalapski and forward Jeff Parker to the Hartford Whalers. In return, they got the agitating physical presence of Samuelsson, the a prolific two-way center in Ron Francis and responsible defenseman Grant Jennings. While not popular at first, the trade helped push the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup title.
Samuelsson became a cult hero in Pittsburgh. Penguins fans adopted the Swede with a peculiar name and a physical style. Broadcaster Paul Steigerwald refered to him as "Jack Lambert on skates." Lambert himself became a big fan of Samuelsson. who recorded four points and 37 penalty minutes in 14 regular season games with the Penguins that season.
In the postseason, Samuelsson appeared in 20 contests and contributed seven points, including the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in Game 6 of the Cup final, an 8-0 road win against the Minnesota North Stars, May 25, 1991.
Samuelsson spent four more seasons with the Penguins. After retiring as a player in 2000, Samuelsson eventually became a coach with the Rangers. He is currently an assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes. His son, Philip, was a second-round pick of the Penguins in the 2009 draft. He currently plays defense for Boston College.
On the trade:
"It was my first trade as a professional athlete. I was kind of shocked. Things went real quick. I got a call at 10 o'clock at night. I was leaving the next morning at six. I wasn't much of a turnaround."
On playing in Pittsburgh for the first time:
"I start making some defensive plays and hitting some people and the fans started getting into it. I noticed right away this (city) appreciated defense. That was the first thing I noticed."
On his role with the Penguins:
"I knew they had some superstar players and I also knew they needed some some players like myself, Ron Francis and Grant Jennings to fill some of the voids."
On the Penguins push to the playoffs:
"It was a lot of fun because we went on a really good string of games there. I think we were in fifth or sixth place when we got traded and we ended up turning it on. It was a clear focus from the day we go there that every one thought we had a good team and a team that could make the playoffs."
On winning the Patrick Division title, the first such title in franchise history, with a 7-4 win at Detroit, March 27, 1991:
"I think by then we realized we had a good team. I don't think it was a huge deal made out of that. I think the focus was on the playoffs."
On going down 3-2 to the Devils in the Patrick Division semifinals and having Frank Pietrangelo make a save on Peter Stastny in Game 6 which became known as...:
"'The Save.' Yeah. I remember Frankie playing really well. There's always adversity in the playoffs. Looking back, there's always a game here or there. We were a pretty good, deep team. There were some players who had to chip in to survive those early scares."
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On Kevin Stevens' prediction that the Penguins would win the Wales Conference Final despite losing the first two games in Boston:
"We played really well the first two games. We managed to find way to lose the first couple of games. No one was really shocked or thought it was a strange statement by any means. We were all kind of behind it. We really had the feeling we could turn it around and beat the Bruins."
On Mario Lemieux:
"I think really think Mario, the way he's going be remembered is his offensive skill, but he really led the way for the skilled forwards we had. He really dug down and did what he's supposed to do defensively. He could always show up in the score sheet or the highlights with his talent offensively. But he really led the way I think by playing really good defense."
On getting the Cup-clinching goal:
"I remember that game really clearly. I got the first goal. We kept building on on it and played well. But still, there was still such a serious attitude on the bench. There was no letting up. There was no one celebrating early. Even the last five or six minutes, people were just pushing each other. I was honestly nervous throughout the whole game until there were a couple minutes left. That game felt like it took forever."
He only spent a few month under coach Bob Johnson. Did Johnson still have a significant place in his career:
"He did. Obviously, it was a short time but it was an unreal time. He was the one coach who could come into a room and turn things around. You feel like your down or angry or disappointed or losing your self confidence a little bit. He would come in and really light the room up with his positive approach to the game. He was a really good inspiration to us."
On having Jack Lambert as a fan:
"It was great. He's certainly a legend in this town. It was an honor to be mentioned in the same breath as him. He's a really good guy."
(Photos: Penguins Hockey Cards, eBay)