Arvid Soderblom has an opportunity to prove his worth with the Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks got a major piece of business done this past offseason when general manager Kyle Davidson signed goaltender Spencer Knight to a three-year contract extension on Sept. 13, but that wasn't the only goalie signing from the team.

In July, the Blackhawks signed Arvid Soderblom to a two-year $5.5 million contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing set for just days later. With a new two-year contract, Soderblom enters the 2025-26 NHL Season looking to build off last year's success.

Arvid Soderblom needs to bring his A game with the Blackhawks.

Soderblom was given a golden opportunity just two years ago when he went into the 2023-24 NHL Season as the backup to Petr Mrazek. For a while, it seemed like Soderblom was a solid 1B option in the Hawks' net, but the netminder finished the season with an .879 save percentage and a 3.92 goals against average.

He would have started last season in Rockford if it weren't for Laurent Brossoit's season of injuries keeping him out of the lineup. Soderblom started the season as a secondary choice to backup Mrazek and quickly made a mark on the team—even showing he could be a capable NHL goaltender.

Soderblom definitely benefited from working with Blackhawks' goaltending coach Jimmy Waite. He looked like a different goalie last season, and his confidence grew because of it. It cannot be ignored just how much he overcame last year, and now he has an opportunity to enter the season in a better position.

Soderblom may be in a familiar spot as the Hawks' backup, now backing up Knight. But that doesn't mean he can't surprise management this season.

At just 26 years old, Soderblom could very well still be a starter in the NHL, and he will have a golden opportunity to prove his value this season. The Blackhawks may have committed to a lengthy contract extension for Knight, but nothing is set in stone for the team's future.

Soderblom started the preseason on a high note, looking like one of the team's rare bright spots in their first preseason game. It will be interesting to see how he looks when the regular season comes around.

A goaltending battle might be the best case scenario for this team—assuming it is two goalies playing at their best and not whatever tandem the Edmonton Oilers are taking to the ice this season.