What should the Chicago Blackhawks do at goalie once Laurent Brossoit returns from IR?

The Chicago Blackhawks do not need to worry about their goaltender logjam for another six weeks.

Laurent Brossoit required another knee procedure after having offseason surgery on the meniscus in his right knee. That initial procedure was supposed to sideline him for most of training camp and possibly into the first couple of weeks of the season.

He will now be out until January.

In his place, Arvid Soderblom has revived his NHL career by playing well as the backup netminder. It is ironic as the main reason Brossoit was signed this past offseason was because of how much Soderblom struggled last season.

However, Soderblom has not been asked to carry a heavy workload since he has only played in six games. Still, it is nice to see Soderblom playing well compared to when he was getting roughed up when he started last season.

If Soderblom plays in four more games, it will create a roster dilemma once Brossoit returns.

The easiest decision once Brossoit returns is to demote Soderblom to Rockford. While it is nice to see Soderblom playing better, Brossoit was one of the best backup goalies last year.

If Soderblom plays four games in December, then demoting him to the AHL becomes tougher as it is unlikely he would clear waivers with his less-than $1 million AAV and still being in his mid-20s.

Colorado and Nashville just swapped netminders, but maybe the Avalanche could be motivated to bring in a better-performing goalie to bulk up their net protection. They would not have to give up anything if Soderblom is on waivers.

The schedule breaks in a way where Soderblom might only get three starts. The Hawks play three games in four days to start December, so it is reasonable to assume Arvid gets a start during that stretch.

They have a weekend back-to-back in mid-December, followed by four games in six days. The Hawks then play three games after December 23rd to finish out 2024.

If Petr Mrazek is up to the task, the Hawks will likely need Soderblom just three times in December. There are enough breaks in early January to possibly avoid having Soderblom play in that fourth game.

However, if Soderblom does have to play that fourth game, then the Hawks must entertain trading him once Brossoit returns. He is set for restricted free agency after this season, whereas Mrazek and Brossoit are signed through next season. Plus, it is hard to trust Soderblom after he was so awful last season.

If Mrazek continues to be solid in goal, the front office could choose to trade him. His cap hit is $4.25 million, and a contender might decide to use him for a playoff push. The only issue with Mrazek is he is just solid. He is capable of making just enough saves to bail out his teammates, but not enough to dominate for a long stretch.

Still, solid might be good enough for a team with better talent on the blue line and an offense that can score more than two goals a game.

It would be difficult to move Brossoit despite being a very good backup netminder. At least teams would want to make sure he is healthy before giving up any assets.

The best option might be to try to see if Mrazek can handle a heavy workload in December and then ease his appearances once Brossoit returns. That way, the Hawks are not risking losing Soderblom for nothing.