The organizational history of the Pittsburgh Penguins is full of great players, and we decided to take a look at the best Penguins players to wear each number. Today, we continue the list by naming the #5 best in Penguins history.
And as far as we’re concerned, there are a few worthy candidates for this award, but only one stands out: Ulf Samuelsson, once known as “the most hated man in hockey.”
© Pittsburgh Penguins – National Hockey League
His nickname in the league speaks for itself: the Swedish-born Samuelsson was not only an excellent defender, but was also known in the league for his rough, aggressive and physical playing style.
The most infamous moment of his career came during the 1991 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins, when he was involved in a knee-on-knee collision with star player Cam Neely. This was the beginning of one of the most famous NHL feuds of all time:
Many still debate whether Samuelsson’s hit on Neely was actually dirty, but either way, he earned a reputation as one of the dirtiest players in the league. He eventually paid for it in the form of Tie Domi, who knocked him unconscious with a sucker punch while Samuelsson was playing for the Rangers in 1995.
But controversy aside, Samuelsson was also, simply put, one of the best and most underrated defensive defensemen of his era. Known for his work ethic and defensive smarts, he regularly held up opposing defensemen and also had the ability to contribute offensively – including his winning, Cup-deciding goal in Game 6 of the 1991 Stanley Cup Finals:
Samuelsson was drafted 67th overall by the Hartford Whalers in 1982 and was part of one of the biggest deals in Penguins history. On March 4, 1991, the Penguins sent forward John Cullen, defenseman Zarley Zalapsky and forward Jeff Parker to the Whalers in exchange for Samuelsson, defenseman Grant Jennings and Hall of Fame forward Ron Francis. The move helped the Penguins go back-to-back in 1991 and 1992 and gave Samuelsson room to flourish in Pittsburgh.
Over the course of his 18-year career, Samuelsson scored 57 goals and 332 points. He was traded to the New York Rangers in 1995 with Luc Robitaille in exchange for Sergei Zubov and Petr Nedved. He would remain with New York until being traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1998, before spending his final NHL season with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1999–2000.
Since then, Samuelsson has worked as an NHL scout and coach on a number of occasions. His son, Philip, was drafted by the Penguins in the second round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and played five games for them in 2013–14 before being traded to the Arizona Coyotes.
Honorable Mentions: Bryan “Bugsy” Watson, Mario Faubert, Mike Matheson
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