Nordiques draft pick Morgan Samuelsson dead at just 55.

I am unfortunately the bearer of bad news on this Sunday morning.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the ZSC Lions of the Swiss league made the shocking announcement that 55 year old forward Morgan Samuelsson had passed away. The team released a statement on their official website, here is a segment of that statement, translated to English:

It is shocking news that hit Swiss ice hockey shortly before the start of the season. After a long period of suffering, Morgan Samuelsson lost his fight and his heart stopped beating on Sunday night. Samuelsson passed away at home. Far too early – the Swede, who has lived in Switzerland for many years, only turned 55.

Although he never made the journey over to the National Hockey League, Samuelsson was drafted by the now defunct Quebec Nordiques in the 6th round (123rd overall) of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. He would remain in Europe his entire career, a career that spanned from 1987 until 2002 when injuries forced an early retirement.

Samuelsson is survived by his daughter Frida (31), his son William (25) and his partner Nicole Vandenbrouck (47).

My condolences go out to the entire family, all of Samuelsson's loved ones, and any hockey fans impacted by the passing of Samuelsson, who has been taken from this world far too soon.