Following 2024-25 season split between Grand Rapids and Detroit, Soderblom riding confidence into summer

DETROIT -- Elmer Soderblom considers his 2024-25 season, which saw the 23-year-old forward establish himself with the Detroit Red Wings after being recalled from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins on Jan. 21, the direct result of recent hard work he’s put into his all-around game.

“I think it’s a combination of a lot of things, but of course it feels like the confidence got better and better during my time here,” Soderblom said during his end-of-season media session on April 12. “Also, I’ve been working really hard over the last couple years so eventually it’s going to click. I’m happy that the season turned out good for me, so I’m just happy. I’m looking forward to next season to prove and show it even more.”

During the regular season, after recording 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 38 AHL games, Soderblom tallied 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 26 NHL contests. An undisclosed injury sidelined Soderblom down the stretch with the Red Wings, but the 6-foot-8, 246-pound forward recovered to appear in three 2025 Calder Cup Playoff games with the Griffins, who were swept by the Texas Stars in the best-of-five Central Division Semifinals.

“When you think about Elmer, you think about, ‘Well, can he use his size?’ He’s a big man,” Detroit head coach Todd McLellan said in February. “There are different ways of using his size. When you talk like that, you think of these big hits and all that type of stuff, and he does do that. But he uses his size so effectively when he hunts pucks down. Players might be skating away from him, they may be a step or two faster, but out comes this long hook and they can’t skate through that. It’s off your tape and he’s got it again.”

In addition to using his imposing frame both with and away from the puck, Soderblom expressed satisfaction in growing in other aspects of his play as the year progressed.

“Simplifying my game a little bit more and finding the consistency level, I think I improved those,” Soderblom said. “Also, my physicality. I think I improved that but at the same time, I can get even better at it. That’s why I’m looking forward to next year, to keep improving and keep doing more stuff like that. Other than that, of course I’m happy with my offensive play. I feel confident in the O-zone, and I just want to keep building on that.”

A sixth-round pick (No. 159 overall) of the Red Wings in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Soderblom said one of the most important things he picked up from Detroit’s more-experienced players this season was how to traverse the daily grind of the NHL.

“You have to find a way to play for 82 games,” Soderblom said. “You have to find a way to be consistent. I think a lot of the veteran guys know how to do that. They bring something to the table every night, so I think that just finding a way to be consistent is going to be huge for me. That’s a step in the right direction.”

Energized by his time donning the Winged Wheel, Soderblom knows just how slim the margin for error is in the NHL. That’s why, according to the Gothenburg, Sweden, native, he’s putting even more of a focus on execution this offseason.

“I think I’m just going to keep working on every small little detail,” Soderblom said. “It takes a lot of small details to play in this League, so stuff like that, and just keep being physical and using my size to my advantage. I think that’s a huge part too. Other than that, I’m just going to keep playing my game and improving along the way.”

And now, with all this valuable insight and experience gained, there’s rightfully high expectation of what Soderblom could accomplish in 2025-26.

“I’m just going to take everything I’ve learned with me,” said Soderblom, who enters this summer as a restricted free agent. “It feels like I’ve improved a lot this year. I’m just trying to get better at some areas that I need to improve, be an even better player next year and be more ready.”