With all of the negativity around the Blackhawks’ NHL roster right now, let’s take a step back, a deep breath, and give Arvid Söderblom some flowers.
I’m going to continue doing this because it’s important: we need to put this in context. In the days leading up to the start of the Blackhawks’ training camp and once camp opened, Söderblom was buried. An afterthought with one year left on his contract before many fans expected him to be shipped back to Europe.
Apologies to DoubleT in our comments section, but I’m going to out your thoughts about him from August when we first learned Laurent Brossoit was injured on blast not to personally point a finger, but because your comment at the time spoke for many fans and were echoed on our social channels.
“I don’t know why this is acceptable to the Blackhawks or why they keep putting up with Soderblom.One of two things either needs to happen to him.1) Sent down to Rockford and stay at Rockford the entire year.2) Released, cut, traded. any or all of the above.”
After a rough full season in the NHL, many fans wanted the Blackhawks to move on. And, frankly, they basically did. They signed Brossoit to split the games in the NHL and named Drew Commesso the starter in Rockford when camp opened. After posting an .880 save percentage in 32 appearances, it looked like Söderblom’s days in the league were numbered — even if his teammates consistently said he deserved a better outcome after appearances last year.
But then a funny thing happened (not literally funny… you know what I’m saying). Brossoit got hurt training for the season and the door opened a crack for Söderblom to get some run in the NHL again. At the time, we expected it to maybe be a couple starts for the first week or two of the regular season.
Well, in the six months since, Brossoit has been a ghost and Söderblom has become a bona fide NHL goaltender.
Daniel Bartel-Imagn ImagesThere are still going to be fans out there who point at Söderblom’s won-loss record and say he isn’t a winner. I invite all of those fans to watch a Blackhawks game. Last night was just the latest example of him doing more than he should have been asked to do to keep the Blackhawks in a game in which they were getting overwhelmed for the final 40 minutes.
In 11 appearances since January 1, Söderblom has a .906 save percentage. That’s better than Igor Shesterkin, Adin Hill, Kevin Lankinen and Jeremy Swayman, to name a few. He’s facing 35.7 shots per game, which is the most of all goaltenders who have appeared in at least 10 games since the turn of the calendar year. It’s almost two full shots per game more than any other netminder.
Söderblom has a .919 save percentage at even strength over those 11 games as well, which is tied for 12th in the NHL among goalies with at least 10 appearances this calendar year.
He has a 2-5-4 record to show for that effort.
Thus far this season, according to MoneyPuck, the Blackhawks are blocking 20.02% of opponents’ shot attempts while Söderblom is in net, which ranks 82nd out of 93 goalies. For the sake of comparison, the Blackhawks have blocked 22.2% of opponents’ shot attempts while Petr Mrázek has been in net — which ranks 36th in the league.
Söderblom put in the work and proved that maybe, just maybe, it takes more time to develop goaltenders than 71 games in the AHL over two years. Still behind a terrible team, he’s been one of the bright spots for the Blackhawks this season. His play has been solid enough that I would argue the Blackhawks should not only extend him, but Brossoit’s injury situation makes contemplating a buyout a very real possibility.
If the NHL had a Most Improved Player award, he would be at/near the top of my ballot this year.
So shoutout to Söderblom for having one helluva season.
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