The Swedish Elite League team MODO continues to stockpile recently (or semi-recently) retired NHL players. TSN reports that Ulf Samuelsson will leave his post as one of the Phoenix Coyotes’ assistant coaches to be the head coach for MODO.
Samuelsson joins assistant general manager Peter Forsberg and general manager Markus Naslund as noteworthy former-NHLers who will run the Swedish professional hockey team.
Samuelsson was an assistant coach with the Coyotes since 2006, including two successful seasons alongside head coach Dave Tippett. Many people give Samuelsson a lot of credit for the impressive development of defenseman Keith Yandle, a player quietly rising to elite status.
Many will also remember Samuelsson as a player whose controversial knee-to-knee hit helped cut short the career of Boston Bruins power forward Cam Neely. He delivered that hit as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but Samuelsson also played for the Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers during his 17-year NHL career.