PHOTO: Bildbyrån
When you think of the top Swedes in the NHL, you usually forget a name.
Namely the back-up guy Kjell Samuelsson.
Today we celebrate “Big Kjell” on his 65th birthday!
He is truly living proof that you should never give up on your dreams. Kjell Samuelsson made his debut in the SHL as late as 25 years old and it was an immediate success.
Big Kjell’s success
Just two years later, it was time to say goodbye to Leksand and make his debut in the NHL as a 27-year-old. It would be a full 14 seasons in the world’s best hockey league and over 800 games in North America for Samuelsson.
The article continues after the picture.
With his 201 centimeters and 105 kilograms, he spread terror on the ice in North America and there were not many who could measure up to “Big Kjell”. The breakthrough came in the physically tough Philadelphia Flyers and then the transfer load went on to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Lemieux cheered
One who cheered loudly about becoming a teammate with Kjell Samuelsson was the big star Mario Lemieux. The Swedish hockey legend reveals what the Canadian, who is considered one of the best players of all time, really thought about facing the bastards from Sweden.
– Mario said it in an interview once. He thought it was damn tough to play against me and I take that as a compliment, says Kjell in an interview with Expressen 2021.
The article continues after the picture.
And then Lemieux wasn’t exactly a little guy.
– Haha I do not know. But we got as far anyway, says Samuelsson with a laugh.
READ MORE: Ingemar Stenmark reveals the very best memory with Börje Salming – which says everything about the hockey icon: “He was completely exhausted”
Better than Gretzky
Together they lifted the coveted Stanley Cup trophy in 1992 and Big Kjell would reach three Stanley Cup finals during the successful career in North America. And if he himself has to choose, he ranks teammate Lemieux higher than Wayne Gretzky.
– For me, Mario is the world’s best hockey player of all time. He was so much better than everyone else. He had skills, he had size and he wasn’t slow either. He was so good that he almost did exactly what he wanted sometimes, he says to the evening newspaper.
Another fine memory from his career is the unforgettable WC gold with Three Kronor in 1991 on Finnish soil. Where Samuelsson excelled together with his back colleague Nicklas Lidström and got to experience 25,000 Swedes shouting his name on Sergel’s square during the gold celebration: “Kjelle, Kjelle, Kjelle”.
Share the article to congratulate Kjell Samuelsson on his birthday!
Share