Goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks, Laurent Brossoit, is confirmed to be out most of if not all of training camp as the team announced he is set to miss five to seven weeks while recovering from meniscus surgery yesterday. The team recently signed Brossoit to a two-year, $6.6MM contract on the opening day of free agency this summer.
The Blackhawks are set to take on the Utah Hockey Club for their first game of the regular season on October 8th which means Brossoit could miss up to four games if he takes seven weeks to recover. If Brossoit can rebound on the quicker end of the prognosis he would be able to participate in Chicago’s last two preseason games against the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues on October 4th and 5th, respectively.
Luckily even if Brossoit takes the maximum amount of time the Blackhawks will not be in too much of a hole at the goaltending position as they could recall last year’s backup, Arvid Soderblom, to stay with the team through the first week of the regular season. Soderblom would objectively serve as a downgrade to Brossoit but four games in early October should not make-or-break Chicago’s season.
Brossoit should ultimately serve as a co-starter in the Blackhawks’ net alongside Petr Mrazek. He has spent nearly all his career in a backup role and sought a share of the starts in his next home. Chicago served as an ideal choice for this as although Mrazek performed amicably for the team last season they needed a better option outside of Soderblom.
The Port Alberni, BC native has arguably been one of the better backup goaltenders over the last two years albeit surviving multiple stints on the injured reserve. Brossoit has amassed a 22-5-5 record over 34 games split between the Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets since the start of the 2022-23 season with a .927 save percentage and 2.05 goals-against average. He will no longer have the defensive core in front of him that he’s had in seasons past which could negatively impact his numbers next year.
The Blackhawks have nothing to lose by giving Brossoit a two-year deal this summer as the team has little hope of contending over the next two seasons. Nevertheless, Brossoit will put them in a much better position to win this season comparing last year’s options.
The injury train is running early already. Nice. I hope it doesn’t turn out to be like last year. Yeah Soderblom can come with as long as he doesn’t actually PLAY that is. Why can’t Commesso bak up for a few games. Why Soderbum?
I think the plan is probably to play Mrazek for most, if not all of those games. Especially if it’s only the first couple games. Commesso is better served playing in the AHL while Soderblom rides the pine for a couple of games with the big club.
True. But why is Soderblom still even in the Hawks organization at any level? As if last year wasn’t even time to prove he has no future with the Hawks.
Because Basse went back to College for his last year and Gajan is also in College. They released Stauber so they need a G for Rockford for this year. And they need 2 Goalies for Indianapolis in the ECHL. He’s just a body for 1 year. It came down to Stauber or Soderblom. Bad on one hand or Not good on the other. Flip a coin.