How do you devise a long-term plan for a 24-year-old goaltender who’s the worst player at his position in the entire NHL? That’s the question Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson has to answer when it comes to the ongoing development of netminder Arvid Soderblom, whose first full NHL season went about as poorly as it possibly could have last year.
After going undrafted out of Sweden in 2021, Soderblom was signed by Chicago and sent to the AHL that fall. He was strong with the IceHogs in 2021-22, posting a save percentage of .919 and playing in 38 games. Though he hadn’t done anything extraordinary, Soderblom was called up and played in his first Blackhawks game on New Year’s Day in 2022 since Marc-Andre Fleury and Kevin Lankinen were stuck in COVID-19 protocol. He came on in relief for Collin Delia, who gave up three goals in the opening frame.
The 2022-23 season saw Soderblom appear in a Blackhawks sweater a bit more often. The Swedish goalie was unspectacular, yet serviceable, in 33 starts with Rockford, but posted poorer numbers in 15 games with the big club, posting a 2-10-2 record. Despite the lack of proven success, Soderblom was brought back to Chicago last season to share the net with star Petr Mrazek. That decision panned out about as poorly as anyone could have expected. He paced the entire league in the wrong direction with a save percentage of .880 and a GAA of 3.89, prompting many fans to call him the worst goalie they’d ever seen, or to lament that they’d rather see him behind the plate for the Cubs instead.
So what’s the plan for the league’s worst goalie? With the addition of Laurent Brossoit, who figures to be a vast improvement alongside Mrazek, Soderblom will be spending the season in Rockford once more, only this time with much less promise. He’ll share the net with prized prospect Drew Commesso, who figures to get more starts as he continues to develop and trend toward the NHL.
I don’t foresee Soderblom returning to Chicago unless one of the two veterans suffers an injury. Obviously, with him earning plenty of starts at the AHL level, there’s hope that he can regain confidence and become the goalie of the future, but I don’t see that happening quickly enough for the Blackhawks, who appear to be trending toward becoming a contender within the next few seasons. With his confidence shot and having lost fan support, he’ll have to find success elsewhere. Therefore, Soderblom’s time with the Blackhawks will head in one of two directions, and he alone can decide his ultimate fate.
Finish out contract, fade from NHL
Luckily for the Blackhawks, they aren’t dealing with any sort of cumbersome contract with their unsuccessful goaltender. Soderblom is entering the final season of his two-year contract with an AAV of $962,500. If Commesso does indeed command much of the time between the pipes in Rockford this season, or if Soderblom is unable to regain his past success in his time there next season, Chicago can move on pretty easily. With big names like Commesso and Adam Gajan in the pipeline, the Blackhawks won’t be too hurt by his absence down the road.
Excel in AHL, become valuable asset
While I don’t feel Soderblom will ever be a great fit back in Chicago, that isn’t to say he can’t be used and become a valuable asset for the Blackhawks. If he’s able to excel with the IceHogs again this season, it would serve both him and the team well if he could spend several years there and provide a sense of stability. As he grows in veteran status, he’ll become more valuable for young netminders who come into the system as they learn alongside him.
Additionally, while Soderblom was poor in almost all of his starts in the NHL last year, he could still be a great replacement in case of injury. Goaltenders get injured all the time at the game’s top level, and to have a player waiting in the wings who has experienced big moments before and who could handle the pressure would be a great blessing.
Finally, Soderblom would be a great trade chip for the Blackhawks if they ever needed a slight boost to push a deal through. Sure, his value won’t be anything outlandish and he likely wouldn’t make any NHL rosters, but teams across the league are always looking for depth. For a team especially thin or one that is suffering a slew of injuries at the position, Soderblom would be a great addition and a valuable one for Chicago to give away.
Issaac,
You didnt mention that while Soderblom will be battling Comesso for playing time, Rockford also signed Ben Gaudreau who will be looking for playing time as well.