Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks Sign Center Carl Soderberg to 1-Year Contract
The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to terms with center Carl Soderberg on a one-year deal. His cap hit is $1 million.
One more unrestricted free agent name has come off the board as the Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to terms with center Carl Soderberg on a one-year, deal, the team announced Saturday. His cap hit is $1 million.
Related: Bad News For Blackhawks as Dach Likely To Miss NHL Time With Injury
General manager Stan Bowman said of the deal: “Carl is an experienced center who plays a strong two-way game and adds an element of size to our group of centermen.”
Soderberg, 35, registered 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists) in 70 games last season for the Arizona Coyotes. He added two points (one goal, one assist) in nine postseason games, where he averaged 16:09 of ice time. He will bring some short-term depth to the Blackhawks who are currently going through a rebuild. If he plays well, he could be a trade asset for the Hawks towards the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline.
Bowman added:
“He has shown the ability to score and match up, which is critical in today’s game, and he also brings consistency and versatility to the team, evidenced by his usage on both special teams as well as even-strength play.”
Where he will play with the Hawks hasn’t been determined yet. He’s got experience at both the center and wing positions and while he has a career faceoff win percentage of 47.6 center, he’s likely to slot there, especially if Kirby Dach is out for an extended period of time. Dach was injured in a warmup game at the World Junior Championships and was expected to play for the Blackhawks this season before the wrist injury.
Soderberg was originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in the second round (No. 49 overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft. His best season as a pro came in 2018-19 when he set a career high with 23 goals and finished with 49 points in 82 games with the Colorado Avalanche.
What About Strome?
The big question in Chicago now is what happens with Dylan Strome? A potentially big part of the Blackhawks offense and future, he’s not yet signed a deal to return for the 2020-21 NHL season.
Next: Ilya Kovalchuk Officially Returns to the KHL
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