Elliotte Friedman just reported that Blackhawks goalie Arvid Soderblom is on waivers, along with Washington's Poirier.
The move comes the morning after Chicago lost 9-2 at Carolina on Saturday. Soderblom played 29:24 of that game, and Spencer Knight took the loss.
Friedman put the news out in a short post on Sunday.
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Soderblom is 27, a 6'3 Swedish goalie who has appeared in 5 games this season and 117 over his NHL career. Any team that wants him can now claim him.
His night in Raleigh doesn't read like a firing offense. He stopped 13 of 16 shots, which is a better rate than Knight's 11 saves on 17 shots, and he got a no-decision in a game that was long gone.
Nothing in the post explains the thinking behind the move, and the sheet doesn't either. Poirier is the other name on the wire, and Washington's side of it is just as quiet for now. The post gives no further detail on him.
The Blackhawks have a lot of questions to answer, and Soderblom's contract, which expires after this season, is only one of them.
Why the Blackhawks' problems go beyond the crease
Chicago is 4-13-1 and sits 31st in the NHL, ahead of only one team. It has lost six straight, and the road record is 0-8-1.
The goal differential tells the story better than any single goalie can. The Blackhawks have scored 39 and allowed 76, a gap of -37.
Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist in Carolina and Roman Kantserov scored too, so the offense isn't dead. Yet the team was outscored 9-2 and Alex Vlasic, who finished with two assists, played 21:23 with nothing but empty-net energy around him.
Waiving a goalie won't fix a team that gives up chances like that. Jeff Blashill and Kyle Davidson can shuffle the crease all they want, but the skaters in front of it are the bigger issue.
Chicago's next game is Thursday against Buffalo, and whoever is in net that night will tell us more about this move.
Quick hits
LOS ANGELES KINGS: Martin Chromiak is headed back to AHL Ontario, according to Kings beat writer mayorNHL. A routine shuffle on paper, but those are the moves that shape the bottom of a roster.
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BOSTON BRUINS: Mikey Eyssimont is in the lineup against the Panthers today, Jim McBride reports. He comes in fresh off an AHL hat trick, so the reward was quick.
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FLORIDA PANTHERS: Anton Lundell looks cleared to play in Boston, based on the warmup lines posted minutes before puck drop. That is a welcome sight for the visitors.
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GOALIE MATCHUP: Jackie Spiegel reports that Dan Vladař is expected to start tonight in Calgary, where the Flames host the Flyers. It is a nice storyline for the Philadelphia goalie facing his old team.
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NEW YORK ISLANDERS: Mathew Barzal, Matias Maccelli and Ryan Pulock have made the trip to San Jose, Stefen Rosner reports. Having all three aboard is good news for the Islanders.
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Should the Blackhawks have waived Arvid Soderblom after a 9-2 loss in which the skaters let the goalies down?
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