Press release: Red Wings re-sign Elmer Soderblom to 2-year, $1.125 million AAV contract

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS RE-SIGN ELMER SÖDERBLOM TO TWO-YEAR CONTRACT

  … 6-Foot-8 Forward Has Recorded 19 Points in 47 Games with Detroit Since 2022-23 …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today re-signed forward Elmer Söderblom to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.125 million.

Söderblom, 23, played in 26 games with the Red Wings during the 2024-25 season, recording 11 points (4-7-11), a plus-two rating, six penalty minutes, 38 shots and 43 hits in 13:22 average time on ice. The 6-foot-8, 246-pound forward also logged 17 points (5-12-17), a plus-four rating and 29 penalty minutes in 38 regular-season games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins in 2024-25. Söderblom spent the entire 2023-24 campaign with the Griffins, setting career highs in games played (61), goals (13), assists (16), points (29), power play goals (3), game-winning goals (3) and shots (114). He also registered two points (1-1-2) in seven Calder Cup Playoff games, helping the Griffins reach the Central Division Finals. Selected by the Red Wings in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Söderblom has tallied 19 points (9-10-19), a plus-two rating and 14 penalty minutes in 47 NHL games since 2022-23. Söderblom has also compiled 54 points (23-31-54), a plus-two rating and 47 penalty minutes in 119 AHL games with the Griffins.

Prior to arriving in North America, Söderblom played in parts of three seasons in the Swedish Hockey League with Frölunda HC, based out of his hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. Söderblom totaled 38 points (24-14-38) and 14 penalty minutes in 90 games in Sweden’s top professional league from 2019-22. He helped Frölunda HC win a Champions Hockey League title in 2020. Söderblom also recorded 76 points (40-36-76) and 22 penalty minutes in 87 games with Frölunda HC’s under-20 squad, in addition to 53 points (26-27-53) and 14 penalty minutes in 60 games with the under-18 team and 93 points (62-31-93) and 49 penalty minutes in 78 games at the under-16 level. On the international stage, Söderblom represented Sweden at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship along with Red Wings teammates Lucas Raymond and Albert Johansson, collecting three points (2-1-3) in five games. Söderblom won a gold medal with Sweden at the 2019 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, netting one goal in seven appearances. He also captured a silver medal at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, finishing with three points (1-2-3) in five contests.

Tweet of note: Windsor Spitfires select Michal Svrcek in CHL Import Draft

Per the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires:

Svrcek will probably play for Brynas IF of the SHL this upcoming season, but one never knows for sure.

A bit more from John Gibson regarding his time in Ann Arbor, familiarity with coach McLellan

MLive’s Ansar Khan offers the following from new Red Wings goaltender John Gibson, who is somewhat familiar with Metro Detroit from his time with the U.S. National Team Development Program, and Gibson also knows Wings coach Todd McLellan:

“I got a little taste of cheering for the Red Wings when I lived in Ann Arbor for two years playing at the NTDP (2009-11),” he said. “You see how close they’ve been the last few years. That’s where I want to be. I want to be fighting for the playoffs, getting in the playoffs. I truly feel that all you have to do is make it in the playoffs. And once you do that it’s a whole new season, whether you’re the Presidents’ Trophy winner or the eight seed.”

Gibson knows Todd McLellan, who coached him with Team Canada in the World Cup of Hockey, and assistant Trent Yawney, his former AHL head coach and an assistant with the Ducks.

“Anytime that we were going against one of (McLellan’s) teams, you know they’re well-coached, well-structured, disciplined,” Gibson said. “He kind of holds his standard and his principles and you just kind of piggyback off that. I had a lot of experience with Trent Yawney as well. I kind of grew up with him. So just kind of having some familiar faces there helps the transition.”

Continued

Tweet of note: Regina Pats select Red Wings prospect Michal Pradel in import draft

It appears that Red Wings prospect and Slovakian goaltender Michal Pradel will play for the WHL’s Regina Pats this upcoming season–if he doesn’t remain with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm:

NHL.com’s Stubbs memorializes Alex Delvecchio

NHL.com’s Dave Stubbs wrote a lengthy column which summarizes the hockey life of Red Wings legend Alex Delvecchio, who passed away yesterday at 93 years of age:

One of the most respected and most durable players in hockey, of any generation, Delvecchio died on Tuesday at age 93. The legend affectionately nicknamed “Fats” by his teammates is survived by his wife, Judy, and the couple’s five children, 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

From his first NHL appearance, March 25, 1951, at Detroit’s Olympia Stadium against the Montreal Canadiens, through his last, Nov. 4, 1973, in Atlanta against the Flames, Delvecchio played 1,550 regular-season games, all for the Red Wings, amassing 1,281 points (456 goals, 825 assists). He played another 121 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, scoring 104 points (35 goals, 69 assists).

Delvecchio was a Stanley Cup champion in 1952, 1954 and 1955, and three times was voted winner of the Lady Byng Trophy (1959, 1966, 1969), awarded to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.

It was on Aug. 25, 1977, that this nearly indestructible center was enshrined among the greatest in hockey, welcomed to the Hall of Fame in a class that included late defenseman Tim Horton and builders John “Bunny” Ahearne, Harold Ballard and Joseph Cattarinich.

“How often do you get to be in the Hall of Fame, let alone just play in the NHL?” Delvecchio wondered, reminded of the anniversary.

Continued

Allen on the remaining free agent and trade targets

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen discusses the free agents who remain options for the Red Wings to sign, as well as the team’s potential trade targets:

UFAs still in play: Defensemen Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov, plus forwards Jack Roslovic, Anthony Beauvillier, Victor Olofsson, Gus Nyquist and Max Pacioretty among others.

What it means is that the Red Wings’ hope for improvement now rests in the trade market, and the continued improvement of young players, such as Marco Kasper, Moritz Seider, plus the possible arrival of Axel Sandin Pellikka, Carter Mazur and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.

The trade market could yield some possibilities, including Dallas Stars’ Jason Robertson. If the Stars don’t believe they can re-sign him moving forward, they may move him. This is a player that has scored 151 goals over the past four seasons. That’s almost 38 goals per season.

The Stars reportedly want two first-round picks, and other primary assets. Yzerman likely would  part with picks and prospects to land Robertson.

Other possible players in the trade marker: Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson, Buffalo defenseman Bowen Byram, Minnesota center Marco Rossi, Pittsburgh forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. Will  the Vegas Golden Knights move someone to ease the salary cap burden of Mitch Marner’s $12 million hit?

Continued; I’m not expecting much movement.