Yahoo Sports Blackhawks' Soderblom Has the Prove-It Moment of His Career
The best opportunity in Arvid Soderblom's young career is right now with the Chicago Blackhawks.
It has been an interesting season for the team and Soderblom, but luck has given him a great opportunity to rebound from last season, and hard work has allowed him to successfully pull it off thus far.
Soderblom posted a 3.82 GAA and .880 SV% over 32 games last season in the NHL and that just wasn't good enough. It was his first taste as a full-time NHLer and he just wasn't ready yet. That poor performance led to the decision by Kyle Davidson to bring in goaltending help for Petr Mrazek so that the Blackhawks had stable goaltending and their goalies would give the team a chance to win every night, not just when Mrazek played.
While Laurent Brossoit was signed for two years and Soderblom was expected to start the 2024-25 season in the AHL, Brossoit got injured before seeing a game this season and Soderblom has been on Chicago's roster the entire time.
Initially, this injury by Brossoit was expected to be more minor, but the Blackhawks are gearing up for their 28th game of the season and there isn't a plan for him to return yet. Soderblom continues to impress and prove why he should be in the NHL.
The Blackhawks aren't exactly the poster team for team defense or having a strong defensive core, but Soderblom has a 2.60 GAA and .915 SV% through eight games. He has just one win because of the complete lack of goal support he has gotten, but the 25-year-old has also put up a .935+ SV% in four games this season.
Soderblom has now been pushed into the starter role in Chicago with Mrazek landing on the injured reserve. With Drew Commesso being recalled to be the backup and struggling this season in the AHL, it is completely Soderblom's net for the time being.
He is still exempt from waivers this season, so the Blackhawks won't lose him in 2024-25 no matter what happens, but he will be eligible for waivers next season with both Mrazek and Brossoit still having one more year each left on their contracts.
The goal for any goalie is to become a starter in the NHL, and while Soderblom isn't seen as one this season for Chicago, he is in that role for the time being and has the chance to change some minds. He should see at least three starts this week against the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils and could very well be the team's best option in net for a while.
Soderblom is not only playing and proving himself for more playing time and to stay in the NHL this season, he is doing so for next season too. My mind has already been changed and the young netminder is proving to be an effective option in net moving forward for the Blackhawks, but I'm not the one he has to convince.
It is an important moment in his career, and although he has played great for the 32nd ranked Blackhawks, there's more work to be done and a great opportunity in front of him.
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