Soderberg looking forward to joining rebuilding Blackhawks
At first, the Blackhawks' signing of Carl Soderberg last week seemed like a strange move.
Why is a rebuilding team adding a 35-year-old center when it could simply plug in an up-and-coming young player to fill holes created by injuries to Kirby Dach and Alex Nylander?
It's a fair question and one we can pose to Stan Bowman when training camp opens next week, but the bottom line is it never hurts to add a capable, respected veteran to help mentor a young core.
And that's exactly what Soderberg figures to do, both on and off the ice.
Originally drafted by St. Louis in the second round of the 2004 draft, Soderberg spent nearly a decade playing professionally in Sweden before making his NHL debut with the Bruins in 2013. He only played six regular-season contests but did appear in Games 5 and 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Hawks.
In the years since, Soderberg has proved to be a reliable goal-scorer by hitting double digits six times. His career high of 23 came just two years ago with Colorado.
Soderberg, who scored 17 times with Arizona last season, was on the free-agent market for months before inking a one-year, $1 million deal with the Hawks.
He never considered retiring, opting to stay patient while deciding where to go.
"I had a pretty good season last year, so I pretty much knew a couple of teams were gonna step up late and gave me a couple of offers," Soderberg said Monday. "I didn't want to sign before we knew the whole setup (for the upcoming season). ... I wanted to play in the NHL and I was very happy when Chicago called me."
More than anyone on the Hawks' roster, Soderberg certainly knows how quickly a team's fortunes can turn around as he was part of an Avs team that went from 22-56-4 in 2016-17 to 43-30-9 in 2017-18.
Three years later, Colorado remains one of the Western Conference's elite squads.
"I know (the Hawks are) a rebuilding team, but it goes quick," Soderberg said. "I mean in Colorado a couple years ago we were rebuilding too and now it's one of the contenders in the league. So it goes very quick."
Soderberg joins a team full of capable centers, including Jonathan Toews, Ryan Carpenter, David Kampf and the still unsigned Dylan Strome. Mattias Janmark or Lucas Walllmark, both of whom signed as free agents, can also play center.
Soderberg, who has 103 goals in 552 games and has skated in 41 postseason contests, is a capable two-way player who can help on the power play and penalty kill. With Dach out 4-5 months after undergoing surgery Monday to repair a right wrist fracture he suffered in World Juniors, Soderberg may slot in on the second line.
"It's kind of been my role in NHL for a while, playing against top lines," Soderberg said. "Hopefully that's what I can do this year too. I'm looking forward to the start."
The Hawks open training camp on January 4 and begin the season at Tampa Bay on January 13.
Carl Soderberg bio
Age: 35
Born: In Malmo, Sweden
Drafted: By St. Louis in second round in 2004
Position: Center
Made NHL debut: With Boston in 2013
<b>By the numbers:</b>• Has scored double-digit goals six times
• Had career-high 23 goals in 2018-19 with Colorado
• Had career-high 39 assists in 2015-16 with Colorado
• 17 goals, 18 assists with Arizona last season
• Has 103 goals and 177 assists in 552 NHL games
• Has won 47.7% of his faceoffs over his career
<b>Also:</b>• Played in Games 5 and 6 of 2013 Stanley Cup Final vs. Blackhawks
• Played in Sweden from 2003-13