Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom delivers bold response to off-season trade rumors
The Chicago Blackhawks have an issue in the net, as Laurent Brossoit is still recovering from a surgery he had during the offseason.
All the while, the Blackhawks have had to rely upon the skills of Petr Mrazek to stay consistent. But Mrazek can't hold the net all the time, he'll need a break.
Who is to take the reigns from Mrazek? For now until Laurent Brossoit's return, Arvid Soderblom.
Soderblom has proved resilient, stopping 37 of 39 shots and giving the Hawks a chance to win. The Blackhawks with Soderblom in net won, 4-2 over the high-flying Ducks.
«I have, in the back of my head, a lot of small details that I'm improving,» Soderblom said. «It makes the game feel a little slower. I play a little calmer [and] let the game come to me instead of chasing it.»
It seems that Soderblom seems a lot more confident this season than last. With the terrible record he accumulated last year, he prioritized improving his skills this past summer.
No one on the Blackhawks had a worse year than Arvid Soderblom. While expectations for this past season were low, Soderblom found a way to make matters worse than anticipated in the net for Chicago. Highlighted by his 5-22-2 record on the season and an unsightly 3.92 goals-against average, Soderblom found himself the proverbial punching bag for fans and media throughout 2023-24 on many occasions.
This was the narrative last season, and Soderblom has proven this year he can regain his confidence. That and providing the kind of play a rebuilding team needs.
Soderblom this season has played 3 games this season, with a 1-1-1 record with a 2.35 GAA, and a .927 save percentage.
Could this be Soderblom's year to leverage his play into a third goalie position in the depth chart?
Not many teams in the NHL have a three-goalie system, but the Blackhawks could benefit from having depth in the net.
«Sometimes you've got to take time to make time,» Soderblom said in October. «That's a thing I've been working on in all situations. [I will] take that extra second, whether it's a rush coming in or a dump-in, to see what my playing options are.»
It looks as if goalie coach Jimmy Waite's work has paid off early. Will Soderblom challenge Brossoit or allow himself to be delegated to a 3rd goalie position or the AHL?
| POLL |
Will Arvid Soderblom be the Blackhawk's third goalie, or be sent back to the AHL? |
| Third | 22 | 38.6 % |
| AHL | 35 | 61.4 % |
| List of polls |
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