Emma Söderberg Explained

Birth Date:18 February 1998
Birth Place:Örnsköldsvik, Sweden
Height Ft:5
Height In:7
Weight Lb:152
Position:Goaltender
Catches:Left
League:PWHL
Former Teams:MODO Hockey
Sex:f
Ntl Team:SWE
Career Start:2015

Emma Martine Söderberg (born 18 February 1998) is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender for PWHL Boston of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and member of Sweden women's national ice hockey team. She played college ice hockey with the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs women's ice hockey program.

Playing career

Söderberg developed in the youth department of MODO Hockey in her hometown Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. From 2013 to 2016, she tended goal for MODO's boys teams in the U16 Elit and under-16 Swedish Championship (SM).[1]

She made her women's senior league debut with the women's representative team of MODO Hockey in the Riksserien (rebranded as the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL) in 2016) during the 2014–15 season.[2] In 54 Riksserien/SDHL games across four seasons with MODO, she achieved a 33–21 win–loss record and averaged a save percentage of .933 (93.3%) and a goals against average (GAA) of 1.69. In her final season with MODO, she recorded a 1.55 GAA and .940 (94%) save percentage in nineteen games played.[3]

College

Söderberg joined the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs women's ice hockey team for the 2018–19 season. She played in five games during her freshman year, posting a win–loss-overtime record of 3–1–0 and stopped 94 out of 103 shots for a .913 (91.3%) save percentage and 2.09 GAA. As a junior during the 2020–21 season, Söderberg's .951 (95.1%) save percentage, 1.34 GAA, and five shutout games were all within the top three of all NCAA women's ice hockey goaltenders, and she received both the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Goaltending Champion statistical title and the Goaltender of the Year award. It was the first time that Minnesota Duluth had won the WCHA Goaltender of the Year title.[4] That year, Minnesota Duluth reached the Frozen Four semifinal round of the 2021 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Tournament, where they fell to the Northeastern Huskies 3–2 in overtime. Söderberg made 44 saves during the match before allowing the game-winning goal on a shot from Northeastern skater Skylar Fontaine.[5]

Söderberg was second in the WCHA with 13 wins, four shutouts, and a .920 (92%) save percentage in the 2021–22 at the time that her season was interrupted due to the 2022 Winter Olympics.[6]

Professional

Upon graduating from Duluth, Söderberg signed a two-year contract with the Connecticut Whale of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).[7] When the PHF dissolved, Söderberg entered the 2023 PWHL Draft, where she was taken in the tenth round, 58th overall, by PWHL Boston.[8] She signed a two-year contract with Boston on 31 October 2023.[9]

International play

As a junior player with the Swedish national under-18 team, Söderberg participated in the IIHF U18 Women's World Championships in 2015 and 2016. She backstopped Sweden to a bronze medal at the 2016 tournament and was recognized as best goalie of the tournament by the directorate, in addition to being selected to the media all-star team and named a top-three player for Sweden by the coaches.[10] [11] [12]

After helping the Sweden women's national ice hockey team during their qualification rounds, Söderberg was selected to goaltend for the team at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.[13]

She represented Sweden at the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship where she recorded a 2.58 GAA and a .924 (92.4%) save percentage in five games and was named to the All-Star team.[14]

Personal life

Söderberg was born on 18 February 1998 in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden to Ove and Karin Söderberg.[3] Her father is a former professional ice hockey forward who played in the, the second-tier of Swedish men's ice hockey, during 1988 to 1999.[15]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
Team League GP W L MIN GA SV%GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
Riksserien8 6 2 490 11 3 1.35 92.90
MODO Hockey Riksserien12 16 3 685 23 5 1.55 94.03 1 2 200 5 0 1.50 94.1
MODO Hockey SDHL15 6 9 896 27 2 1.81 93.00
MODO Hockey SDHL19 16 3 1,159 30 5 1.55 94.01 1 0 60 1 0 1.00 96.3
WCHA5 3 1 259 9 0 2.08 91.3
Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs WCHA4 1 0 108 2 0 1.12 96.0
Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs WCHA19 12 7 1,094 29 5 1.59 94.4
Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs WCHA26 17 8 1,516 53 5 2.10 92.5
Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs WCHA33 21 12 1,942 45 12 1.39 93.8
SDHL totals54 33 21 3,228 91 11 1.69 93.34 2 2 260 6 0 1.39 94.6
WCHA totals87 54 26 4,918 138 22 1.68 93.4

International

Year Team Event Result GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
Sweden6th4 2 2 9 1 2.26 90.9
Sweden U18 4 3 1 7 0 1.75 93.3
8th5 2 3 16 0 3.47 91.3
Sweden 7th5 2 3 15 0 2.97 90.6
Sweden WC 6th5 2 3 13 1 2.58 92.4
Junior totals8 5 3 279:21 16 1 2.00 92.1
Senior totals1569881:564412.9991.4
[16] [17] [18] [19]

Awards and honors

AwardYearRef
International
World U18 Top-3 Player on Team2015[20]
2016
World U18 Best Goaltender2016
World U18 All Star2016
World Championship Top-3 Player on Team2022[21]
2023[22]
World Championship All Star2023[23]
College
AHCA Second Team All-American2021
WCHA Goaltender of the Year2021
2023
WCHA Goaltending Champion2021
2023
PWHL
PWHL All-Rookie Team2024[24]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Edlund . Patrick . Tio nya in på HG Dam . . 2024-02-14 . sv . 2014-05-15 . Press release.
  2. Web site: Rönnkvist . Ronnie . Succé i JVM - nu hoppas hon hjälpa Sverige till OS . HockeySverige . 2024-02-14 . sv . 2021-11-11.
  3. Web site: 2022-23 Women's Hockey Roster: 30 Emma Soderberg . UMD Athletics . 1 February 2022 . 11 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220211151207/https://umdbulldogs.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey/roster/emma-soderberg/6060 . live .
  4. News: Bell and Soderberg named WCHA Defenseman and Goaltender of the Year . Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs . 4 March 2021 . 1 February 2022 . 3 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220203015800/https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2021/3/4/womens-hockey-bell-and-soderberg-named-wcha-defenseman-and-goaltender-of-the-year.aspx . live .
  5. News: Johnson . Randy . Even in semifinal loss, Minnesota Duluth women showed they belong . . 19 March 2021 . 1 February 2022 . 3 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220203020107/https://www.startribune.com/even-in-semifinal-loss-minnesota-duluth-women-showed-they-belong/600036192/ . live .
  6. News: UMD's Emma Soderberg named to Team Sweden's Olympic roster . WDIO . 19 January 2022 . 1 February 2022 . 2 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220202054912/https://www.wdio.com/sports/umd-bulldogs-emma-soderberg-team-sweden-olymic-womens-hockey/6363794/ . dead .
  7. News: Salvian . Hailey . Emma Söderberg signs 2-year deal with Connecticut Whale: What it means for PHF . . 23 May 2023 . 19 September 2023 . subscription.
  8. News: Kennedy . Ian . Boston's Crease Will Be Difficult To Beat With Frankel and Soderberg . . 18 September 2023 . 19 September 2023.
  9. News: Kennedy . Ian . 2023-10-31 . Boston Secures Their Crease Signing Soderberg . 2024-01-21 . . en.
  10. Web site: 2016 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship – Best Players Selected by the Directorate . . 14 February 2024 . 15 January 2016.
  11. Web site: 2016 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship – Media All Stars . . 14 February 2024 . 15 January 2016.
  12. Web site: 12 January 2015 . 2016 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship – Best Players of Each Team Selected by Coaches . 14 February 2024 . International Ice Hockey Federation.
  13. News: Wellens . Matt . UMD women's hockey: Sweden selects Soderberg for Olympic team, creating an opening in the Bulldogs net . . 19 January 2022 . 1 February 2022 . 3 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220203020041/https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/bulldogs-hockey/umd-womens-hockey-sweden-selects-soderberg-for-olympic-team-leaving-ope . live .
  14. Web site: Fillier named MVP . . Andrew . Podnieks . Andrew Podnieks . 16 April 2023 . 16 April 2023.
  15. Web site: Player Profile: Ove Söderberg . 2024-02-14 . Elite Prospects . en.
  16. Book: IIHF Guide & Record Book 2020 . Moydart . 2019 . 9780986796470 . Podnieks . Andrew . Andrew Podnieks . Toronto . 670 . Nordmark . Birger.
  17. Web site: 2022 IIHF Women's World Championship – Goalkeepers . . 14 February 2024 . 4 September 2022.
  18. Web site: Beijing 2022, Ice Hockey, Women – Goalkeepers . . 12 February 2024 . 17 February 2022.
  19. Web site: 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship – Goalkeepers . . 12 February 2024 . 16 April 2023.
  20. Web site: 2015 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship – Best Players of Each Team Selected by Coaches . . 14 February 2024 . 12 January 2015.
  21. Web site: 2022 IIHF Women's World Championship – Best Players of Each Team Selected by Coaches . . 14 February 2024 . 3 September 2022.
  22. Web site: 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship – Best Players of Each Team Selected by Coaches . . 14 February 2024 . 16 April 2023.
  23. Web site: 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship – Media All Stars . . 14 February 2024 . 16 April 2023.
  24. Web site: PWHL Hands Out Year End Awards, Spooner Named MVP . . Ian . Kennedy . June 11, 2024 . June 11, 2024.