Shockwaves on Causeway: Bruins Scoop Up Former Top‑15 Pick Victor Söderström in a Sneaky, Low‑Cost Summer Heist

BOSTON — On a quiet June afternoon that was expected to be little more than the calm before free‑agency’s annual storm, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney pulled the trigger on a stealth move that has pundits scrambling for their phones. Boston has acquired 24‑year‑old Swedish defenseman Victor Söderström—the 11th overall selection in the 2019 draft—in exchange for right‑shot prospect Ryan Mast and a 2025 seventh‑round pick. At first glance it is a depth transaction; a deeper dive reveals a calculated swing at upside that could alter Boston’s blue‑line hierarchy as soon as October.

The trade materialized midday on June 13, 2025, roughly two weeks before the league’s free‑agency window opens. Chicago, which had only held Söderström’s NHL rights since March, opted to flip the Swede rather than negotiate a contract. For Boston, the cost—an AHL defender yet to debut in the NHL and a late pick—barely dents the asset cupboard. “We see an opportunity to add a puck‑moving right shot who’s just scratching the surface,” Sweeney said in a brief conference call, describing Söderström as “a natural fit for the modern game.”

Make no mistake: Boston’s right‑side depth chart looked thin after Brandon Carlo was shipped to Toronto at the trade deadline. Behind perennial All‑Star Charlie McAvoy, only Andrew Peeke held an NHL roster spot under contract for 2025‑26. Many insiders expected the Bruins to chase veteran rentals on July 1. Instead, Sweeney zigged while everyone zagged, betting on a former blue‑chip prospect who spent last season reviving his stock in Sweden.

Once a cornerstone prospect for the then‑Arizona Coyotes, Söderström logged just 53 NHL appearances over four seasons, often shuttling between the big club and the AHL. Frustrated by his stalled development and a coaching carousel in the desert, he signed a two‑year pact with childhood club Brynäs IF in September 2024. The homecoming proved electric: paired with veteran Jonas Ahnelöv, Söderström erupted for 37 points in 49 games, quarterbacked the league’s second‑best power play, and captured the Salming Trophy as the SHL’s top defenseman.

His NHL rights, meanwhile, bounced from the relocated Arizona (rebranded as Utah) to Chicago as a throw‑in at the 2025 trade deadline. The Blackhawks had cap space but an overcrowded blue‑line pipeline; Boston had the opposite problem. One phone call later, the puzzle pieces snapped together.

At 5‑foot‑11 and 185 pounds, Söderström will not overwhelm anyone physically, yet his skating stride is slippery and economical. He thrives on deception—using head fakes, subtle weight shifts and a crisp first pass to beat the forecheck. In Brynäs, coaches unleashed him to weave through the neutral zone, and he often looked like an extra forward off the rush. Analytics underscore the eye test: his controlled‑zone‑exit rate led all SHL defenders who logged at least 20 games, and his shot‑assist numbers ranked top‑three. Those traits align perfectly with Boston’s up‑tempo transition system overseen by head coach Jim Montgomery.

Defensively, the picture is more nuanced. Söderström’s lack of reach can be exposed down low, a flaw that spurred Arizona’s coaching staff to shelter him with offensive‑zone starts. However, Brynäs assistant Anders Björkberg praised the Swede’s improved stick positioning and willingness to box out bigger forwards: “He’s no longer fishing for pucks—he’s eliminating hands and closing gaps.” If that progress carries over, Boston may have snagged a second‑pair option for pennies on the dollar.

Because Söderström’s entry‑level deal expired while he was overseas, he remains a restricted free agent with Boston now holding exclusive negotiating rights. Early indications are that a two‑year “prove‑it” bridge contract around $1.2–1.4 million AAV is realistic—an arrangement that leaves the Bruins with flexibility amid looming extensions for Jeremy Swayman and Mason Lohrei. Should Söderström outperform that price tag, Boston retains the ability to file for arbitration or buy UFA years down the road.

Projecting forward, McAvoy and shutdown stalwart Hampus Lindholm will anchor the top pairing. That leaves a second‑pair vacancy next to the offensively dormant—but defensively sound—Jakub Zboril. A McAvoy‑Peeke shutdown duo, Lindholm alongside Söderström in a puck‑mover/stay‑home balance, and Lohrei with depth veteran Parker Wotherspoon could give Montgomery three balanced pairs. In power‑play meetings, expect Söderström to battle McAvoy for the second unit’s point spot; his one‑timer is not blistering, yet he excels at walking the line and manipulating shooting lanes.

Boston surrendered negligible assets, yet the risk is not zero. SHL success does not always translate. For every John Klingberg, five European returnees fade once North‑American forecheckers close space quicker than in the wider European rinks. Moreover, Söderström’s North‑American sample size revealed bouts of indecision in his own zone. But at 24, he is hardly a finished product. Player‑development director Adam McQuaid points to the club’s recent track record with reclamations—Dmitry Orlov, Henri Jokiharju—as evidence Boston can insulate and refine skill sets that other organizations could not unlock.

Early responses from Bruins veterans were enthusiastic. Speaking at a youth‑hockey clinic, McAvoy called the move “a fresh jolt of creativity.” Captain Brad Marchand quipped, “I just hope he can saucer a breakout pass to my tape faster than Pasta [David Pastrňák] can chirp me in Swedish.” Still, the on‑ice audition begins at September rookie camp, where Söderström must acclimate to Boston’s aggressive D‑zone coverage. Assistant coach John Gruden, tapped to oversee the defense this season, believes the Swede will thrive: “His feet never stop, and that’s half our battle.”

Rival executives privately lauded the Bruins for exploiting market inefficiency. One Eastern Conference scout noted that Söderström would likely have commanded a third‑round pick had Chicago filed a qualifying offer and let arbitration rights kick in. “Sweeney jumped the queue,” the scout said. “Boston might have just filled its only glaring roster hole without touching its first‑round picks or high‑end prospects.” National media echoed that sentiment, with ProHockeyRumors calling the trade “a canny play for upside that carries virtually no downside.”

In an offseason where marquee names such as Noah Hanifin and Jakob Chychrun dominate rumor mills, the Bruins opted for stealth rather than spectacle. For the price of a depth prospect and a seventh‑round lottery ticket, Boston brings in a former top‑15 talent who just proved he can be an elite defenseman in Europe’s toughest league. If Söderström translates even 80 percent of that form, the Bruins will have turned a minor Tuesday headline into a foundational pillar of their next defensive era.

Conversely, if he struggles, the cap hit is manageable, the term likely short, and the acquisition cost forgettable. That’s the epitome of smart asset management—rolling the dice where the odds appear tilted in your favor. And so, as the city shifts its attention to Fenway and the Red Sox’s summer grind, the Bruins have quietly planted seeds for October. Don’t be surprised if the fruits of this under‑the‑radar deal are the talk of TD Garden by Thanksgiving. וש