Former First Round NHL Draft Pick Joins Steelheads

The Idaho Steelheads have agreed to terms with 2012 first-round NHL draft pick Henrik Samuelsson on an ECHL contract for the 2017-18 season, his first in the ECHL.

Samuelsson, 23, was taken 27^th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2012 draft and played three NHL games for the Coyotes during the 2014-15 season.

Samuelsson recorded two goals and three points in 25 AHL games last season with Tucson and Bakersfield. In 136 career AHL games- five with Bakersfield and 131 in the Coyotes system in Tucson, Springfield, and Portland- Samuelsson has totaled 23 goals, 55 points, and 106 penalty minutes.

Idaho head coach Neil Graham released a statement saying, “Henrik is an excellent player, with game-changing ability and skill set. He is very driven and motivated this off-season and I expect him to be a very productive player this year.”

The 6-3 Samuelsson will be reuniting with two former teammates, who are also new Steelheads additions, in forward Mitch Moroz and defenseman Cody Corbett. The trio played together in junior hockey in the Western Hockey League, playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings for three seasons from 2011 to 2014. Samuelsson won WHL Championships with the Oil Kings in 2012 and 2014, as well as the 2014 Memorial Cup.