Big Elmer Soderblom took something of a victory lap during the Red & White Game in Grand Rapids on Sunday, and in scoring two goals to cap a superb training camp performance, Soderblom has probably bade farewell to the AHL for good.
As the Hockey News’s Michael Whitaker noted, Soderblom was appreciative of the atmosphere in a sold-out Van Andel Arena, and he suggested that the Wings’ daily scrimmages helped build up to a proper Red & White affair…
“It was real fun, it was fun to see all the fans here, a full crowd and it was unbelievable,” a grinning Söderblom said afterward.
Following an intense three days of Training Camp in Traverse City, Söderblom feels that the team as a whole is shaking off the rust from the several months of the offseason.
“It feels like I’ve been ramping up a bit and the pieces are coming together more and more,” he said. “Always a little rusty from the summer with, game-wise, habits and stuff. That’s why I think it’s important for us to scrimmage and get some games going, I think that will really help the guys get into the habits again. For me personally, it feels like it’s getting better and better.”
And now the Red Wings’ resident 6’8,” 247-pound behemoth is ready to prove that he’s earned a full-time spot on Detroit’s NHL roster:
“It felt really good to play some games last year and show what I can do, so coming into this year feels a little bit more (knowing) what I should do, and know my role and what I can bring to the team,” he said. “I’m just trying to bring my game, do the things that I do good, and just make an impact that way.”
