Emma Söderberg

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Emma Martine Söderberg (born 18 February 1998) is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Boston Fleet 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.

Emma Söderberg
Söderberg with Boston Fleet in 2024
Born (1998-02-18) 18 February 1998 (age 26)
Örnsköldsvik, Sweden
Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight 152 lb (69 kg; 10 st 12 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
PWHL team
Former teams
Boston Fleet
MODO Hockey
National team  Sweden
Playing career 2015–present

Playing career

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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

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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.[3] 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

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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 the Boston Fleet.[8] She signed a two-year contract with Boston on 31 October 2023.[9]

International play

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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

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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 Division 1 [sv], the second-tier of Swedish men's ice hockey, during 1988 to 1999.[15]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2014–15 MODO Hockey Riksserien 8 6 2 490 11 3 1.35 .929 0
2015–16 MODO Hockey Riksserien 12 16 3 685 23 5 1.55 .940 3 1 2 200 5 0 1.50 .941
2016–17 MODO Hockey SDHL 15 6 9 896 27 2 1.81 .930 0
2017–18 MODO Hockey SDHL 19 16 3 1,159 30 5 1.55 .940 1 1 0 60 1 0 1.00 .963
2018–19 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs WCHA 5 3 1 259 9 0 2.08 .913
2019–20 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs WCHA 4 1 0 108 2 0 1.12 .960
2020–21 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs WCHA 19 12 7 1,094 29 5 1.59 .944
2021–22 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs WCHA 26 17 8 1,516 53 5 2.10 .925
2022–23 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs WCHA 33 21 12 1,942 45 12 1.39 .938
2023–24 Boston Fleet PWHL 8 4 3 401 17 0 2.54 .900
SDHL totals 54 33 21 3,228 91 11 1.69 .933 4 2 2 260 6 0 1.39 .946
PWHL totals 8 4 3 401 17 0 2.54 .900

International

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Year Team Event Result   GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2015 Sweden U18 6th 4 2 2 239:21 9 1 2.26 90.9
2016 Sweden U18   4 3 1 240:00 7 0 1.75 93.3
2022 Sweden OG 8th 5 2 3 277:01 16 0 3.47 91.3
2022 Sweden WC 7th 5 2 3 303:08 15 0 2.97 90.6
2023 Sweden WC 6th 5 2 3 301:47 13 1 2.58 92.4
Junior totals 8 5 3 279:21 16 1 2.00 92.1
Senior totals 15 6 9 881:56 44 1 2.99 91.4

Sources: [16][17][18][19]

Awards and honors

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Award Year Ref
International
World U18 Top-3 Player on Team 2015 [20]
2016 [12]
World U18 Best Goaltender 2016 [10]
World U18 All Star 2016 [11]
World Championship Top-3 Player on Team 2022 [21]
2023 [22]
World Championship All Star 2023 [23]
College
AHCA Second Team All-American 2021
WCHA Goaltender of the Year 2021
2023
WCHA Goaltending Champion 2021
2023
PWHL
PWHL All-Rookie Team 2024 [24]

References

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  1. ^ Edlund, Patrick (15 May 2014). "Tio nya in på HG Dam". MODO Hockey (Press release) (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  2. ^ Rönnkvist, Ronnie (11 November 2021). "Succé i JVM - nu hoppas hon hjälpa Sverige till OS". HockeySverige (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "2022-23 Women's Hockey Roster: 30 Emma Soderberg". UMD Athletics. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Bell and Soderberg named WCHA Defenseman and Goaltender of the Year". Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. 4 March 2021. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  5. ^ Johnson, Randy (19 March 2021). "Even in semifinal loss, Minnesota Duluth women showed they belong". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  6. ^ "UMD's Emma Soderberg named to Team Sweden's Olympic roster". WDIO. 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  7. ^ Salvian, Hailey (23 May 2023). "Emma Söderberg signs 2-year deal with Connecticut Whale: What it means for PHF". The Athletic. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  8. ^ Kennedy, Ian (18 September 2023). "Boston's Crease Will Be Difficult To Beat With Frankel and Soderberg". The Hockey News. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  9. ^ Kennedy, Ian (31 October 2023). "Boston Secures Their Crease Signing Soderberg". The Hockey News. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  10. ^ a b "2016 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship – Best Players Selected by the Directorate" (PDF). International Ice Hockey Federation. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  11. ^ a b "2016 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship – Media All Stars" (PDF). International Ice Hockey Federation. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  12. ^ a b "2016 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship – Best Players of Each Team Selected by Coaches" (PDF). International Ice Hockey Federation. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  13. ^ Wellens, Matt (19 January 2022). "UMD women's hockey: Sweden selects Soderberg for Olympic team, creating an opening in the Bulldogs net". Duluth News Tribune. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  14. ^ Podnieks, Andrew (16 April 2023). "Fillier named MVP". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Player Profile: Ove Söderberg". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  16. ^ Podnieks, Andrew; Nordmark, Birger, eds. (2019). IIHF Guide & Record Book 2020. Toronto: Moydart. p. 670. ISBN 9780986796470.
  17. ^ "2022 IIHF Women's World Championship – Goalkeepers". International Ice Hockey Federation. 4 September 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Beijing 2022, Ice Hockey, Women – Goalkeepers". International Ice Hockey Federation. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  19. ^ "2023 IIHF Women's World Championship – Goalkeepers". International Ice Hockey Federation. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  20. ^ "2015 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship – Best Players of Each Team Selected by Coaches" (PDF). International Ice Hockey Federation. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  21. ^ "2022 IIHF Women's World Championship – Best Players of Each Team Selected by Coaches". International Ice Hockey Federation. 3 September 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  22. ^ "2023 IIHF Women's World Championship – Best Players of Each Team Selected by Coaches". International Ice Hockey Federation. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  23. ^ "2023 IIHF Women's World Championship – Media All Stars". International Ice Hockey Federation. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  24. ^ Kennedy, Ian (11 June 2024). "PWHL Hands Out Year End Awards, Spooner Named MVP". The Hockey News. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
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