Arvid Soderblom’s hot start: How one player is setting the tone in the Blackhawks net

Last season, Arvid Soderblom looked like he was destined for a career as an AHL goaltender who would sign those one-year stopgap deals with about a quarter of the NHL’s 32 franchises. Organizational depth and the 25-year-old netminder’s names were basically interchangeable terms, and that was going to be that, right?

Well, with Laurent Brossoit still shelved with an injury, Soderblom has more than taken advantage of the opportunity given to him so he could prove that he’s not just AHL fodder. And at this point, if Soderblom becomes a “hot hand,” do you keep the youngster with the big club even when Brossoit inevitably returns?

Hey, with the Blackhawks off to another difficult season, it can’t hurt things, and all options should be on the table if this losing continues. It would be one thing if Soderblom came in and posted similar numbers that he ended the 2023-24 season with, which comprised a GAA of 3.92 alongside an 0.879 save percentage and a 5-22-2 record. 

Arvid Soderblom is becoming an unlikely hero with the Blackhawks

Fast-forward to this season, and Soderblom has just a 1-2-1 record, but with a 2.27 GAA, a 0.933 save percentage, and three quality starts out of four, the narrative around the much-maligned goaltender is beginning to shift. But the one number that sticks out at me is this one: 135 shots against. 

Take that number and divide it by Soderblom’s four starts, and you get 33.75 shots per game. Contrast that with Petr Mrazek, who’s facing roughly 29 per contest, and it’s clear that, despite starting far fewer games, Soderblom is seeing more than his fair share of challenges. 

That said, this youngster happens to be growing with a young hockey team. Further, we know it takes some goaltenders more time to develop and hone their craft. Maybe that’s been the case with Soderblom, and it’s something we’ll know more of if he keeps getting starts with Brossoit still on the mend. 

Right now, Soderblom has been an unlikely hero, constantly rising to the challenge of once again playing goaltender for a bad hockey team. Even if his overall record remains less-than-ideal during this sample size, Soderblom doesn’t seem like he’ll be destined for the AHL and organizational depth, whether his career path remains with the Hawks or if he ultimately goes elsewhere.