He’ll hope to avoid the injury bug and contribute.
Looking back (2024-2025)
- 15G-12A-27PTS in 62 regular season games for Edmonton; 2G-5A-7PTS in 15 playoff games
Viktor Arvidsson entered last season, his first with the Oilers, coming off of a nightmare year in Los Angeles, where he missed more than 50 games due to a combination of injuries and surgeries.
Through that lens, reaching 15 goals and playing in 60+ games should be considered a win.
However, it was an up-and-down season overall for Arvidsson, who managed to provide some offense but still dealt with injuries and wound up in and out of the lineup as Edmonton went to the Stanley Cup Final again.
His trade to the Bruins was largely viewed as a salary dump through an Edmonton lens, while the Bruins will be hoping Arvidsson can be a bit of a reclamation project.
What’s ahead in 2025-2026?
The Bruins did not acquire Arvidsson thinking they’re getting the guy he was during his Nashville days, where he once scored 31, 29, and 34 goals over three seasons.
A reasonable goal for Arvidsson would be for him to eclipse his Edmonton production and maybe hit the 20-goal mark, which he did in his first two seasons in Los Angeles.
He’ll likely start the season on the second line, giving him plenty of opportunities to contribute.
The problem, of course, will be staying healthy.
As mentioned above, Arvidsson dealt with a few injuries in Edmonton last year, plus some serious injuries in Los Angeles during the 2023-2024 season.
He played 77 games for the Kings in 2022-2023, but before that? 58, 57, 50, and 66 from 2018 through 2022, split between Nashville and Los Angeles.
Assuming, for the sake of argument, he can stay on the ice, he should be a good fit for the Bruins’ top six.
He shoots the puck a lot, something the Bruins have lacked in recent years, and can be counted on to score 15+ goals if he has an average season.
On a team that isn’t exactly rich with offensive resources, Arvidsson should fill a need.
It’s also worth pointing out that Arvidsson almost certainly won’t spend the entire season with the Bruins: he’s a pending UFA, meaning he should be a decent asset for the Bruins at the trade deadline (even moreso if he has a bounce-back year).
Considering it only cost the B’s a fifth-round pick to acquire Arvidsson, they’re getting good value: some skill, a good shot, and value at the trade deadline.
Category: General Sports
