Detroit Red Wings prospect Elmer Söderblom is diamond in the rough

The Detroit Red Wings took a flier on forward Elmer Söderblom in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Two years later, he is still over in Sweden, but it looks like he may bring some value to the Red Wings’ future.

When the Detroit Red Wings drafted Söderblom, they knew that his size certainly is not always a benefit, but the abilities he shows at such a large stature were too hard not to take a chance on. Söderblom is 6-foot-8 at 238 pounds and shoots from the left side.

The 20-year old forward moves very well for his size. There’s room to improve these abilities, but even being that large, he’s got exceptional stickhandling abilities that show in the offensive zone. Being someone who is a problem net-front and someone who can crash the net are the things he’s known for.

If the Red Wings want to bring in a “big-man” who’s got offensive upside, then Söderblom is not the worst option they could have considered. He’s a sixth-round pick and got passed up by teams throughout the draft, but after taking a chance on him, it looks like there might be something there.

Detroit Red Wings prospect Elmer Söderblom might just be something special.

It’s not often a team with a bottom-six forward who is that large and can stick-handle well and provide such a benefit to the offense. To me, when I think of this, Milan Lucic comes to mind. He’s not 6-foot-8 like Söderblom, but while he’s out there laying the body and fighting guys when needed, he can also bring that scoring and offensive side.

Söderblom is no stranger to making things happen; he’s got a signature between the legs move he often uses in front of the net. Here’s a clip from the World Junior Championships:

While he has not come across to the North American game, he’s holding steady in the Swedish Hockey League this season. Through 27 games, he has ten goals and four assists for 14 points. He was quiet in 2020-21, but this year has started to produce more for Frölunda.

If the Red Wings want to take another chance with Söderblom, they should bring him in to see how he handles the North American game with the Griffins. The best-case scenario seems that he could be a bottom-six helper.

He could be a disruptive net-front presence and possibly help add some goals or create scoring chances when driving the net or camping there out front. It’ll be interesting to see what the Red Wings do with Söderblom as he continues to progress along with his development.