The Utah Hockey Club is reportedly considering a contract extension or a possible trade for the defenseman. Victor SoderstromCraig Morgan of Go PHNX Sports said (Twitter link): Soderstrom is Utah's only remaining restricted free agent after the team extended both of his contracts. Barrett Heiton and Egor Sokolov last week.
Soderstrom’s contract is a bit of a conundrum. The 11th overall pick in 2019 never got a stable role in the NHL on his entry-level contract. Instead, he’s bounced between the NHL and AHL lineups, making his playing time something of a spectacle for Coyotes fans. Soderstrom has spent plenty of time on the NHL roster since his 2021 debut, but has only appeared in 53 games since then due to routine health reasons. He’s barely capitalized on his opportunities, scoring just one goal and 10 assists at the NHL level, which he scored in his third career game. He similarly struggled to score in the AHL early in his career, scoring just 50 points in three seasons and appearing in 108 minor league games. But Soderstrom has started to buck that trend this year, playing a full season at one location for the first time since 2019-20. He appeared in 62 games with the Tucson Roadrunners this season, recording nine goals and 32 points. This is a career high in every category.
It was a promising year for the 23-year-old defenseman, even if his stats weren't spectacular. Still, fans got a glimpse of what Soderstrom can offer at the top level. He showed an excellent ability to lead in transition up the ice with a head-up pass and solid positioning. Additionally, he improved his ability to contain opponents entering the offensive zone. Though his scoring numbers weren't high, Soderstrom showed he could bring those positives to the table every game, and that's backed up by his increased confidence in getting into space on the offensive end.
Soderstrom showed flashes of the promising blue-chip player he once was this season, but he doesn't seem anywhere near worthy of being a top-15 draft pick. But he has shown clear growth in a stable role, so there's reason to remain hopeful. Matching that at the NHL level could pay dividends. And Utah has an opening on the second pairing that Soderstrom could take, but he'll be up against some clear competition. Michael Kesselring, Valimaki Juusoand top prospects Maverick Lamoureux He already lost out to the other two for playing time for this role last season.
This competition is enough for Utah to see what Soderstrom can get on the open market. It's hard to imagine many teams will pay big money right away for a former top prospect who hasn't yet proven his worth in draft capital. They also probably won't be too keen on making a move that could hurt them while Utah still has a contract open. The winds of this trade will likely hang around for a while, but if an attractive offer comes along, a new team could acquire the talent of a former top pick with plenty of room to grow next season.
