A slew of media reports on Saturday morning indicated that the Blackhawks have avoided arbitration with goaltender Arvid Soderblom by agreeing to a two-year contract worth $2.75 million annually.
Chicago and Arvid Soderblom avoid arbitration
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 26, 2025
2 x $2.75M
The Blackhawks have re-signed Arvid Söderblom to a two-year deal with a $2.75 million cap hit, avoiding arbitration.
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) July 26, 2025
Soderblom, who’ll turn 26 in August, was a restricted free agent following the 2024-25 hockey season, when the Swedish netminder went 10-18-7 with a .898 save percentage and 3.18 goals-against average. Those numbers were a significant improvement from the 2023-24 season, when Soderblom appeared to have played himself out of Chicago’s long-term plans by going 5-22-2 with a .879 SV% and 3.92 GAA.
Soderblom signed with the Hawks as a free agent on May 17, 2021 and spent two seasons mostly in Rockford before the last two seasons have seen him more in Chicago. By no means has Soderblom confirmed his long-term standing with the Blackhawks, and the addition of Spencer Knight last March — along with the development of Drew Commesso in Rockford — means that the No. 1 goalie spot for the future in Chicago will likely need to be won instead of it being simply handed out. One year ago, though, Soderblom didn’t even seem to be in contention for that spot anymore. Last season means he’s earned himself another round of auditions, though, resulting in the contract he’s now received along with a decent bump from his prior AAV of $962,500.
For more on Soderbom’s 2024-25 season, check out this deep dive from last month: