With veteran reinforcements on the near horizon, Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman trimmed a rookie from the roster.
The Wings on Sunday assigned Elmer Söderblom to the Grand Rapids Griffins, his second stint this season with the AHL affiliate. He was a healthy scratch Friday, indicating that although Derek Lalonde said last week he was inclined to keep Söderblom in the lineup, that has changed for now.
The Wings just gained the services of veteran forward Robby Fabbri last week, and Tyler Bertuzzi and Filip Zadina are projected to return mid-month. The Wings are home this week, and with 12 forwards available, they don’t need a spare. Bertuzzi and Zadina are expected to be available when the Wings are on the road for three games Jan. 16-19.
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Söderblom , 21, has five goals and three assists in 21 games with the Wings during the 2022-23 season, including a four-game point streak (2-2-4) from Dec. 21-31, which included the game-winning goal on Dec. 31 against Ottawa. The 6-foot-8, 246-pound winger has also skated in two games with the Griffins.
This isn’t a sign Söderblom doesn’t still fit into the Wings’ plans, just that it will benefit him to play more in the AHL. The upside for the Wings is they can continue to carry, for the time being, three goaltenders on the 23-man roster. Waiving veteran forward Adam Erne is also a possibility should they need to open another spot on the roster down the road.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.