The Red Wings announced Tuesday morning that 2019 sixth-round pick Elmer Soderblom is being called up from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
The 23-year-old forward, at a towering six-foot-eight, has five goals and 12 assists through 38 games with the Griffins this season. He hasn’t seen NHL action since 2022-2023, when he suited up for 21 games, posting five goals and three assists.
This will be a big assignment for Soderblom, who is looking to solidify his career in the NHL. The Wings have dealt with some injuries lately, most notably Tyler Motte. Christian Fischer has been slotting into Motte’s role, and now Soderblom will give Todd McClellan some extra flexibility with his lineups until everyone is healthy.
Who knows, though… If Soderblom makes an impact when he gets a chance to play, I would imagine the Wings would want to have him full-time. He’s a massive net-front presence with silky-soft hands and a scoring touch. The Red Wings are set to play the Flyers tonight in Philly — a tough place to play for them historically. Given the matchup, I would guess that Elmer will play.