BOSTON –– Victor Söderström did not initially plan on taking time away from the NHL. But, as the summer of 2024 wound down, he decided to make the pivot.
The defenseman, who was a first-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2019, spent four years in their system before signing back home in Sweden with Brynäs IF for the 2024-25 season.
Söderström’s rights were traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in March before he was dealt to Boston in June, where he agreed to a one-year deal. The journey, while perhaps unconventional, has landed Söderström back in the NHL wearing the Black & Gold.
“I think just finding the joy back for hockey. I think I lost that spark a little bit in Arizona, especially the last year,” Söderström said. “Ended up signing [in Sweden] like a week before the season started. I think it was good for me – I found my game a lot more. I found back to my game a lot more, the way I want to play. Now, afterwards, I don’t regret anything. I think that was a good decision for me.”
Söderström made his Bruins debut on Thursday in the 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues, and will be back in the lineup on Saturday when the team hosts the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden for a 7 p.m. matchup.
Söderström has been skating on the third pair with Mason Lohrei. He logged 13:40 of total ice time and had a +2 rating in his first showing.
“He’s smart, and we talk a lot. Just the way he moves the puck, and he’s got offensive ability, too, which is fun to work with each other in that area,” Lohrei said of Söderström. “I think with both of us, it just starts with being simple in our own end, moving pucks and trying to get up ice.”
Lohrei posted two assists against the Blues and has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) through 24 games this year. The 24-year-old defenseman has had a few different D-partners recently due to injuries on the backend.
“No matter who I am playing with, I think I try to play the same way, play the game to the best of my ability. I like playing with [Söderström],” Lohrei said. “I don’t mind playing with anybody. It’s nice to be able to bounce around and get a feel for everybody.”
Lohrei and Söderström will look to build their chemistry against the Devils.
“If you look at their record, they’re a very good hockey team. They’ve got a very, very dangerous first line with a lot of skill that can score,” head coach Marco Sturm said of New Jersey. “Looking at their defensemen, they skate, they have skill. There’s a lot of skill and speed in that game. We want to have the same start as last game. Jersey played last night, so we want to out-work and out-grind and hopefully take advantage of that.”
