The Maple Leafs may have a simple waiver-wire solution if they want a little more stability behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz.
Toronto’s goaltending picture has already sparked debate this season. Bobrovsky has not lived up to his $21-million contract, while Stolarz has been lights out but still hasn’t been given the chance to start more. The club could use a bit more insurance, and Artur Akhtyamov is still viewed as a goalie who could eventually step in - just not one with the NHL experience to help balance things out right now.
That’s where Arvid Soderblom comes in.
On Sunday, the Chicago Blackhawks put Soderblom on waivers as they work through a wave of roster moves following a 9-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Chicago appears ready to move on, at least for now, with the hope of sending him down.
The numbers this season have been rough: a 0-3-1 record, a 4.67 GAA and a .842 SV%. Still, the context matters. He has had a couple of solid outings, only to end up with the loss because the Blackhawks have given him so little help.
His career line tells a similar story. Soderblom owns a 25-68-13 record with a 3.65 GAA and .885 SV%. Those aren’t pretty numbers, but they come with the reality of a Blackhawks team that has been near the bottom of the league during his time there.
For Toronto, the appeal isn’t that Soderblom would suddenly become this season’s version of Matt Murray, though that would be a welcome surprise. The draw is simpler: add an NHL-proven goalie, ease the pressure on Akhtyamov, and avoid tossing him into a situation that could hurt his confidence.
Soderblom has shown he can put up strong numbers when he was winning in Sweden and in the AHL, and at $2.75 million with pending free-agent status, he would be a low-cost option for emergency help.
If the Maple Leafs want to make a claim, they have just 24 hours to do it.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Loss To Montreal Came With An Even Bigger Concern
The Maple Leafs left Montreal with more than a loss to sort through after a 4-2 defeat that featured a strong night from the Canadiens and an unwelcome injury scare for Toronto. Alex Newhook drove the offense for Montreal, Zachary Bolduc added a power-play goal and Jacob Fowler turned aside 26 shots as the Canadiens controlled enough of the game to hand Toronto another frustrating result.
Morgan Riellys exit in the second period with a lower-body injury quickly became the bigger concern for the Leafs, especially with the team already trying to steady itself after the loss. Toronto will want clarity on Riellys status soon, because the blue line takes on a different look when one of its most important defensemen is forced out early. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Loss To Montreal Brought One Big Concern Into Focus
The Maple Leafs came out of a 4-2 loss to Montreal with more than just two points left on the table, as Jim Hillers postgame update centered on Morgan Riellys injury status and the lack of any fresh information beyond the fact that it remains a serious concern. Hiller also touched on the broader picture, pointing to the teams effort and game management while trying to sort through a night that exposed a few different issues at once.
There was at least one bright spot in John Tavares return, which Hiller said had a positive effect on William Nylanders play, but the mood around the room was still shaped by the injuries and mistakes that piled up. Hiller also addressed Gavin McKennas turnovers as part of the conversation, a reminder that Torontos margin for error is getting thinner as it tries to steady itself after another uneven outing. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face One Huge Question As Superstar Fit Emerges
A fan-driven trade idea making the rounds this week put Toronto in the middle of another big-name defense discussion, and the reaction was about as lopsided as it gets. The proposed deal would have brought Detroits Simon Edvinsson into the Maple Leafs orbit, but voters overwhelmingly shot it down, with 92% disapproving the concept.
The interest in Edvinsson still says something about where Torontos attention is right now, especially with the market for impact players never far from the conversation. Even as other teams sort out their own lineup situations, the Leafs are left weighing whether a move like that ever makes sense for their roster, cap picture and long-term blue-line plans, which is exactly why this kind of chatter keeps hanging around. [Read more 🡒]