Ahead of Wednesday night’s game in Minnesota, the Detroit Red Wings recalled forward Elmer Soderblom from Grand Rapids and placed Olli Maatta on injured reserve.
This move comes after Derek Lalonde told the media after Tuesday’s 1-0 loss against Carolina that Dylan Larkin would be unavailable against the Wild. Larkin left the game briefly in the first period Tuesday night after taking a puck to his right hand. He ultimately returned in the second period but didn’t finish the game.
After making the opening night lineup, Soderblom hasn’t seen NHL action since November 8th, when he left the game after sustaining a lower-body injury. Last week, Soderblom was assigned to the Griffins to get his legs back under him, skating in two AHL contests.
In 13 games with the Red Wings, Soderblom has two goals but has shown flashes of his upside. Starting the year off the infamous “Redwoods Line” with Michael Rasmussen and Oskar Sundqvist, Soderblom used his 6′ 8 frame and showed his puck protection and ability to play off the cycle.
Without their top scorer in Larkin, the Red Wings will be looking for every player to step up offensively, and Soderblom will be no exception.
