We’re now approaching the two-month mark into the season, and the Blackhawks are still somehow without backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit. The most highly touted acquisition of Chicago’s busy offseason has been completely missing since he underwent surgery back in August.
However, his absence has been a blessing in disguise for the Blackhawks, whose longer look at Arvid Soderblom proved invaluable. After ranking among the worst netminders in the NHL last season, Soderblom looked to be the odd man out in Chicago – he wouldn’t beat out Petr Mrazek or Brossoit to stay on the roster, and Drew Commesso had already been given the starting spot for the IceHogs. Instead of fading away quietly, Soderblom has inexplicably turned into one of the best goaltenders in the entire league based on statistics, with the 11th-best goals saved above expected and a .926 save percentage.
When Brossoit comes back, he’s expected to retake the NHL job and shove Soderblom down to Rockford despite how well he’s played. However, that situation could become complicated in a hurry. If Brossoit misses a few more games, he’ll force the Blackhawks to make an impossible decision.
According to NHL roster rules, if Soderblom plays in four more games for the Blackhawks this season, he’ll have to pass through waivers to be sent to Rockford. That obviously impacts his usage now, but it could also hamper Chicago down the road – what if Mrazek or Brossoit gets injured? They’d have to call Soderblom up and keep him there or opt for Commesso, who still isn’t ready for the next level.
There’s simply no way the Blackhawks can keep Soderblom, then send him through waivers and hope that he clears. Teams around the NHL are increasingly desperate for competent goaltending, and have grabbed several players off of waivers. With Soderblom playing the way he is, he’d be snatched up in an instant. The Blackhawks would lose a player who still could be a big part of their future, and lose him for nothing.
If Soderblom keeps getting starts and gets over that threshold, Chicago will face a number of tricky options. When/if Brossoit ever comes back, they could keep three goaltenders on the NHL roster. That’s not a great alternative, but it’s better than giving away Soderblom.
Another alternative could be an interesting one – if Brossoit doesn’t come back, the Blackhawks could send Soderblom down and bring in someone else. That placeholder could be Mitchell Weeks, a 23-year-old who has split his time between Rockford and the ECHL Indy Fuel the past few seasons. He’d likely get exposed at the next level, but with Chicago in a downward spiral, that wouldn’t be the end of the world.
Instead of Weeks, could the Blackhawks actually be BUYERS? That’s probably the last thing Chicago would have considered earlier this season. Many teams only have one solid goaltender; the Blackhawks, in theory, have three. However, it could be a smoother transition to bring in someone with NHL experience rather than tossing Weeks to the wolves. Either way, the Blackhawks have a decision to make, and they’ll have to make it very soon.
