Blackhawks re-sign Soderblom to 2-year, $5.5M deal

The Chicago Blackhawks and restricted free-agent goaltender Arvid Soderblom avoided arbitration, agreeing to a two-year contract carrying an average annual value of $2.75 million, the team announced Saturday.

Soderblom's arbitration hearing was set for Monday.

The two-year pact takes Soderblom to unrestricted free agency.

The 25-year-old netminder posted an .898 save percentage in 36 appearances last season. However, Soderblom put up favorable underlying numbers, as he stopped 4.36 goals above expected, per Evolving-Hockey.

He owns a .889 save percentage in 86 career games across four NHL seasons - all with the Blackhawks.

Soderblom projects to serve as Chicago's backup goalie behind Spencer Knight next season, although he could face competition if veteran Laurent Brossoit, who missed all of last campaign with a knee injury, can return in 2025-26.

Defenseman Wyatt Kaiser is Chicago's final remaining RFA.