NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Blackhawks goaltending situation coming into the 2021 season was a huge question-mark. Coming out of the 2021 season, it’s still a question-mark, but it’s a much smaller problem than it was before. Kevin Lankinen emerged as an NHL-caliber goaltender in his rookie season, while Malcolm Subban and Collin Delia performed at an NHL backup level. Now heading into the 2021-22 season, there may be another goalie in the mix.
On Thursday afternoon, the Blackhawks announced a two-year deal with Swedish goaltender Arvid Söderblom from Skellefteå in the SHL.
Signed on the dotted line🖊
Goaltender Arvid Söderblom has agreed to a 2-year deal. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/2MJ62Gu0aA
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) May 13, 2021
Back in February, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Blackhawks were one of many teams interested in the 21-year-old Söderblom. In 22 games in the SHL this past season, Söderblom held a .922 save-percentage and a 2.03 GAA with a 12-7-2 record and four shutouts on the year. He was second in the SHL in save-percentage and GAA behind Viktor Fasth.
His deal is two-years at an $883,750 AAV Cap Hit through the 2022-23 season. Söderblom seems to be another European goaltending prospect that the Blackhawks are going to throw against the wall and see if he sticks. When you don’t have a sure-fire, 100% starting goaltender in your organization, adding another maybe to your already handful of maybes does no harm, but it also doesn’t move you forward. We’ll see where Söderblom goes within the organization from here.
