It wasn’t that long ago that Elmer Söderblom captivated Detroit Red Wings fans with he forced his way onto the team’s opening night lineup during the 2022-23 season. Standing at 6-foot-8, 246 pounds, his combination of rare physical traits and on-ice tenacity led him to play in 21 games in the NHL, all of which came in the front half of the season.
Since then, Söderblom has spent his time in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Grand Rapids Griffins. In that time, a number of young players have been added to the organization or have climbed up the organizational depth chart, all while he seems stuck in neutral.
Entering the 2024-25 season, however, Söderblom seems to be at a critical point in his professional career. How this season unfolds for him may ultimately determine whether or not he will have a fruitful career here in North America.
Söderblom Was Inconsistent in 2023-24
In his 20 games in the AHL during the 2022-23 season, Söderblom matched his offensive output in Detroit, recording five goals and eight points. It became clear over the course of that season that he was less of a creator and more of a do-er, whether it’s in the offensive zone or in transition.
Go figure, but Söderblom is most effective when he uses his size to his advantage. To quote Simon Edvinsson, Söderblom is a mountain that is extremely difficult to contend with along the boards and in front of the net. When he drives the net with confidence, he’s like a bulldozer paving a path to the crease.
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It was Söderblom’s overall lack of confidence and consistency that stood out in his second AHL season. With 13 goals and 29 points in 61 games, he didn’t stand out offensively despite playing up and down the lineup. That would probably be forgiven if he at least established himself as a physical force in a checking role, but that didn’t come to be either. It was sometimes jarring to see how invisible he could become despite being hard to miss.
Heading into the 2024-25 season, Söderblom has to find a way to be a factor for his team on a more consistent basis. Given his unique skillset, he should be capable of doing so.
2024-25 Implications
Söderblom’s 2024-25 season is not only important because of his standing on the depth chart. It is also important due to his standing within the organization.
The 2024-25 season is Söderblom’s final season being exempt from waivers. That means that, beginning in the 2025-26 season, he must pass through waivers before being assigned to the AHL. With that reality looming on the horizon, he should, ideally, look NHL-ready by the end of this season.
That being said, if he can find consistency this season, Söderblom may find himself in Detroit more than Grand Rapids. Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman and head coach Derek Lalonde have both expressed their desire for the NHL club to be harder to play against, and a consistent, confident Söderblom would certainly help them in that department.
With Söderblom’s entry-level contract expiring at the end of this season, Yzerman and the rest of Detroit’s front office will want to feel good about Söderblom’s future with the Red Wings moving forward. Not to beat a dead horse with this point, but a player with his build will always have a spot on the team if he can prove himself useful in a specific role.
For Söderblom to have success this season, he needs to identify what role he can play and fully commit to it. Going back to his days playing at the World Juniors, many had hopes that his soft hands would lead to him being an offensive giant; even if that isn’t in the cards, he can still become a force in the bottom six, just like he was when he was part of the “Redwoods” line along with Michael Rasmussen and Oskar Sundqvist back in 2022-23.
Söderblom may be one of the most unique prospects in the Red Wings’ pool, but unique only gets you so far. If he wants to play in the NHL moving forward, this is the season he has to claim his spot.
