Chicago Blackhawks trade Victor Soderstrom to Boston for defenseman, 2025 draft pick

Blackhawks new head coach Jeff Blashill explains why Chicago's the right fit for him

FOX 32's Tina Nguyen sat down with the Chicago Blackhawks new head coach Jeff Blashill to discuss a range of topics, including why the Windy City is the right fit for him.

The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired a draft pick and a prospect in exchange for a blueliner.

The Hawks announced Friday evening that they acquired defenseman Ryan Mast and a 2025 seventh-round pick from the Boston Bruins in exchange for defenseman Victor Soderstrom.

Mast is a 22-year-old prospect who brings size to the Blackhawks' prospect system. He's a 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-handed defenseman who appeared in 44 games over the past two seasons with the Providence Bruins in the AHL. This past season, he appeared in 37 games for Providence and had five assists.

Mast was a sixth-round pick by Boston in the 2021 NHL Draft and has one year remaining on his contract.

Soderstrom did not appear in a game for the Blackhawks this past season. He played for the Swedish Hockey League where he won the Salming Trophy as the Swedish Defenseman of the Year.

The Blackhawks originally acquired Soderstrom on March 7, 2025, as part of a trade with the Utah Hockey Club – now the Utah Mammoth – along with forward Aku Raty and defenseman Shea Weber in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick.