Emma Soderberg, Minnesota-Duluth’s junior goalie, is waiting out a five-hour layover at Chicago O’Hare, reminiscing about returning to her hometown, Ornskolsdvik, Sweden, a hockey hotbed three latitudinal degrees south of the Arctic Circle. 

Despite a population of only 32,000, the hockey village known as Ovik has produced NHL mega-stars like Peter Forsberg, the Sedin twins, and Stanley Cup champion Victor Hedman. But despite being surrounded by Nordic gods from the local elite team MoDo, Emma never found them to be role models.

“It was always cool with how many good players we had coming from our town, but I didn’t have one,” said Soderberg. 

Her primary influencers were women’s hockey players — like Sidney Morin, a 2017 Duluth grad who travelled the four thousand miles to Ovik to play for MoDo before the Seoul Olympics. 

“Sidney came and played with me one year in Sweden,” said Emma. “She spoke highly of UMD.” 

Morin, a Minnesota native, was the primary reason Soderberg came to UMD, but it was a star from Stockholm who was Emma’s heroine — former national team goalie Kim Martin.

“I’ve always been a fan of Kim; I look up to her,” said Soderberg. 

And with good reason. Emma was eight years old when Martin led Team Sweden to a shocking Olympic victory over the U.S. in Torino to claim silver. Two years later, Martin led the Bulldogs to an NCAA title. 

“She was one of the first female goaltenders I learned [from], and watched her play. I obviously liked her record, both internationally and with UMD.”

Kim Martin back in her days with the Bulldogs.

Soderberg is not shy about her own Olympic ambitions. 

“My goal is to qualify for the team in 2022,” she said. 

Kim Martin has been an important component. 

“She’s been helping out with the Swedish national team. I had her for my last year with U-18; she was the goalie coach,” said Soderberg, who attended Martin’s goalie camp this past June.

Ironically, it was another Olympic goalie at UMD who stalled Soderberg’s development. Team USA gold medalist Maddie Rooney returned to UMD from Pyeongchang to complete her degree, forcing Soderberg to the sidelines for her first two seasons in Duluth. 

“It was hard not playing,” said Emma. “Coaches told me they had faith and believed in me, see a plan for me after Maddie’s gone. So I just had to trust that process and be patient with it, and do my best in practice.”

Despite a truncated playing schedule this season due to the pandemic, Soderberg has started six games for the Bulldogs, winning four, two by shutout. Her two losses came at the hands of the vaunted Golden Gophers and their decorated senior transfer goalie Lauren Bench. None of the adversity has taken a smile off Emma’s face this season.

“It’s been fun to start playing games again, trying to get the hang of it, get the routine of it,” said Soderberg. “It’s definitely been different, not starting on time, all the different protocols we have to follow this year.” 

Being in the crease when the buzzer sounds after a shutout is sweet music to a competitor that was stapled to the bench for two seasons. 

“It’s a great feeling. I always had great help from my teammates in those games. It also shows me that it was worth fighting through those years not playing.” 

Once Soderberg returns from her dark winter fortnight in Ovik, she will continue her duel quest for a WCHA championship and a final step in her Olympic development. Duluth, the school that has already produced two iconic Olympic goalies, is the ideal setting for Emma’s goals: experienced coaches, elite training staff, and world class opponents. 

“We’re so fortunate for everything we get, the facilities, the level of competition that comes with the WCHA, a lot of skilled players,” said Emma. “It’s so fun.”

Soderberg is on a tight timeline. Essentially, she has one NCAA season to demonstrate her Olympic prowess between the pipes. Team Sweden will play an IIHF qualifying tournament next November to gain a spot in the Beijing Games. 

The world is watching.

Tim Rappleye is the author of two books: Jack Parker's Wiseguys and Hobey Baker, Upon Further Review. You can find him on Twitter.