It’s the offseason, and the Boston Bruins have some roster decisions to make as they get set for free agency opening in July. With players both notable and unheard of looking for contracts leaguewide, it’s a busy time across the league as teams try to get better as they pursue a Stanley Cup.
All too often, the players who aren’t stars are forgotten in league circles, mostly the ones who don’t become a coach or media personality in the NHL after their playing career. After doing various installments of obscure former Boston Bruins last offseason, I’m doing it again this offseason, sticking with it until puck drop in October. The first edition this year takes us back roughly a decade. We’re talking about Carl Soderberg.
Forward Carl Soderberg is a lesser known former Bruins player
Carl Soderberg was a second-round pick of the St. Louis Blues in the 2004 NHL draft out of Sweden, but never played a game for the team. He signed a three-year entry level deal with the team before the 2006-2007 season, but after struggling to adapt to North America and dealing with homesickness, he was sent on loan back to Sweden to keep playing there. Soderberg’s life changed forever in the 2006-2007 season in Sweden when he got high sticked in his left eye, suffering a detached retina as a result. Legally blind in his left eye, Soderberg kept playing, and after the season was traded by the Blues to the Bruins in exchange for goalie Hannu Toivonen.
After his initial contract expired, Soderberg didn’t sign another contract until 2013, that being a three-year deal with the Bruins, in which he joined the team for the home stretch of the 2012-2013 campaign, tallying two points. In 2013-2014, his first full season with the Bruins, he put up 16 goals and 32 assists in 73 games. In 2014-2015, he had 13 goals and 31 assists while playing in all 82 games.
Just before he became a UFA, the Bruins traded his rights to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a 2016 sixth round draft pick that became Oskar Steen. The Bruins had previously dealt that pick to Colorado as part of the Jordan Caron-Max Talbot trade. Colorado used that to sign him to a five year contract, paying him $4.75 million annually and giving him no trade protection.
Joe Sakic, what was that?
Soderberg spent the next four years with the Avalanche, producing 57 goals and 94 assists before he was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in the last year of his deal for Kevin Connauton and a third round pick. Soderberg had 17 goals and 18 assists in his lone season in the desert.
After playing the 56 game 2021 season with both the Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks, Soderberg opted to return to Sweden, signing a two-year contract with the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks. He retired when his contract expired, wanting to pursue higher education and to spend more time with his family. While a productive player with the Bruins, I don’t think there’s anything they wish they did differently in regard to Soderberg. Guys like him are replaceable, and the Bruins did just fine without him.
