The Boston Bruins have kicked off their offseason activity with a trade.
On Friday evening, the team announced they’ve acquired the rights to 24-year-old defenseman Victor Söderström from the Chicago Blackhawks. In return, Boston is sending defense prospect Ryan Mast and a 2025 seventh-round draft pick to Chicago.
Söderström, a right-shot defenseman, was originally selected 11th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2019 NHL Draft. Between 2020 and 2024, he split time between the NHL and AHL.
In the 2024-25 season, Söderström returned to Sweden to play for Brynas IF Gavle, where he impressed with 37 points (9 goals, 28 assists) in 49 games. His strong performance earned him the Borje Salming Trophy, awarded to the SHL’s top defenseman.
His NHL rights were initially traded from the Utah Mammoth (formerly the Coyotes) to the Blackhawks prior to the March trade deadline. Now, the Bruins hold those rights—but still need to sign him to a contract, as Söderström is currently a restricted free agent, according to PuckPedia.
The Bruins are in need of depth on the right side of their defense, especially after trading Brandon Carlo to the Maple Leafs in March. Fellow right-shot defenseman Henri Jokiharju is also set to hit free agency. Söderström’s offensive upside could fill a valuable role on the blue line.
As for Ryan Mast, the 2021 sixth-round pick spent this past season with the AHL’s Providence Bruins.
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