In the subsequent off-season, Samuelsson was traded to the New York Rangers, along with fellow prospect Christian Gosselin, in exchange for veteran forward Adam Graves on June 24, 2001. He began the 2001–02 season with the Rangers' AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, but after notching nine points in eight games, he was recalled to the NHL on November 5. He scored his first two NHL goals on November 20 against goaltender Patrick Roy in a 5–3 win against the Colorado Avalanche. Samuelsson's first goal came short-handed and broke Roy's three-game shutout streak, which was in contention to tie the modern-day NHL record at the time of four games. Samuelsson remained with the Rangers for the rest of the season and recorded six goals and 16 assists over 67 games as an NHL rookie. He was utilized in primarily defensive roles during his time in New York, playing on the penalty kill and matching up against opposing teams' top offensive lines.