Not only was it inevitable that the Red Wings would call up Marco Kasper again, but it was almost a given. Kasper has been outstanding lately and now, he’s on the verge of solidifying his spot as an NHLer. And now, Elmer Soderblom could be following.
There’s a lot to like about Soderblom’s recent recall, as it’s a signal that the Wings will without a doubt be sending in reinforcements this time around to make a serious playoff push. Last season, you can argue they made a similar push, but it never seemed their hearts were 100 percent in it, especially following Dylan Larkin’s injury.
Now, Soderblom had been a recent add for the Red Wings after he played 38 games this season for the Grand Rapids Griffins, snagging five goals and 17 points. Starting on January 21st, he came to the big club, and the Wings have played some awesome hockey with Soderblom in the lineup.
Elmer Soderblom has played a role in the Red Wings revival
So far in 2025, Soderblom’s snagged five points and two goals in nine games, with a 15.4 shooting percentage and a plus-1 rating. No, he hasn’t received a ton of ice time, but Soderblom’s shown immense potential as a depth scorer, and it carries over from 2022-23 when he found the net five times in 21 contests.
But that’s not all of what makes the 6’8, 245 lb Soderblom such an effective player as we inch closer to ‘down the stretch’ hockey. He’s been a physical force, notching 20 hits so far in just under 115 minutes’ worth of ice time. Yeah, the Red Wings could use a player like that when the intensity reaches its pinnacle in less than a month.
Through 55 contests, the Wings have garnered a paltry 969 hits or just 17.6 per game. That’s a sign that opponents could end up outmuscling this team if they don’t learn how to start hitting back. Well, Soderblom won’t be tolerating it if his roughly 2.5 body checks per contest are any indication, and look for that number to rise in the near future.
Soderblom shouldn’t be the only hard-hitter in Hockeytown
Yeah, Soderblom would be a welcoming addition should he play out the rest of the season in Detroit, even if I’m looking for a paper transaction to send him back to Grand Rapids at the trade deadline. Still, if he kept up his current pace, the Red Wings, as a team, would go from an average of 17.6 hits per game to roughly 20, and they’ll need more than that come mid-March.
With the trade deadline approaching, why not add another big hitter if they can’t pull off an outrageous shocker of an acquisition? If the Wings keep scoring the way they have been and they don’t decide to upgrade their top six, opting for a lower-liner in Soderblom’s mold wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Get someone to land a few more body checks per contest, then suddenly, this Red Wings team’s going to get a lot more physical. Soderblom is just the first step, but let’s hope the Wings don’t call it quits there.