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So, Sammy Pahlsson, You Want to Be A Blue Jacket?

Welcome to another installment of “So, You Want to be a Blue Jacket?”!

This series is presented in the form of a mock job interview. The operative word here is mock. We’re presenting these from the perspective of the player, as if they were applying for a job with the Jackets. The players themselves aren’t involved, so don’t contact the team if you disagree with one of their answers! No player will avoid the interview process, not even Rick Nash. Today’s interviewee is…

SAMUEL PAHLSSON

Q) Hi Sammy, tell us a little about yourself.

A) I was born in Ă…nge, Sweden on December 17, 1977. I am a center, and generally play more of a defensive style on a checking/shut-down line. I’m solid in the faceoff circle, and I also can play on your top Penalty Kill unit. I was drafted by the Avalanche 176th overall in 1996. I made my debut in 2000 for the Bruins, and have also played for the Ducks, Blackhawks, and Blue Jackets in my career.

Q) Tell us about some intangibles you could bring to the Blue Jackets.

A) In terms of intangibles, I have two things going for me: experience, and a championship. I’ve been in the league since 2000–much like the Jackets’ franchise–and I’ve got my name on The Cup (Anahiem, 2007). I’ve played in 81 total playoff games in my career, been to The Finals twice (both with Anaheim, 2003 and ’07), and my stats show that I raise my game in the post-season (9/19/28/+10 in 81 playoff games vs. 64/118/182/-68 in 718 regular season games). I’ve also been durable, missing only three games in two years with Columbus.

Q) What areas of your game do you think you can improve on?

A) Well, I can always contribute more on the stat-sheet, and given my role as the third-line center I could have a better +/- rating, though I generally see time against the other teams’ top lines. My 20 points last season were the fourth-best total of my career, but I’ve shown I can score a bit more.

Q) Can you give us some examples of your hockey accomplishments?

A) Well, I’ve mentioned that my name is on Lord Stanley, and I was on the 2006 Swedish Olympic team that brought home the gold medal. Obviously, those are the two highest achievements you can earn as a hockey player. In my Cup year in Anaheim, I was nominated for the Selke Trophy (top defensive forward), and way back in the day I was the Swedish Junior Player of the Year in 1997 playing for Modo in the Elitserien.