The team is banking on his ability to take on more responsibilities after he played 33 games with a 2.92 GAA and .905 SV% last season.
You can see how much he loves the team with his new mask, with the feathers on each side and the black and white stripes, which are just like racing stripes to keep the design within the team colors.
Soderblom has proven himself to the Blackhawks and they believe in him despite his undrafted status and struggles in the AHL and NHL.
Jimmy Waite, the Blackhawks' goalie coach, feels that Soderblom and Corey Crawford have similar calmness in the net. This seems to be a huge compliment. The team feels he's underrated, especially with his big body, athletic ability, and his ability to make acrobatic saves.
Pete Aubry from Rockford raves about him as well when he is mentioned in interviews.
In Aubry's opinion, Soderblom has been NHL-ready since last season, despite a tough environment, and he believes he can be an elite goalie.
From the AHL to the NHL, Soderblom has actively earned the trust of his coaches, and even Kyle Davidson seems to be on board.
To gain confidence in himself and the front office, Soderblom must keep improving his game. With a team lacking a solid defense, he went 15-12-5. Imagine how much more impressive he would look if he were surrounded by a competent defensive core.
POLL | ||
28 SEPTEMBRE | 69 ANSWERS The future star of the Blackhawks' goal shows off his dedicated mask Do you think Arvid Soderblom is the future #1 Goalie for the Blackhawks? | ||
Yes | 36 | 52.2 % |
No | 33 | 47.8 % |
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