Bruins’ Viktor Arvidsson to return vs. Red Wings
The Boston Bruins are getting a piece of good news on the injury front, as winger Viktor Arvidsson is expected to return to their lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Hello from Detroit.
Optional skate for the Bruins today.
Arvidsson is in.
David Pastrnak is not on the trip.
Marco Sturm says he’s the closest to returning, but is not skating this week. #NHLBruins
Less positively, star winger David Pastrnak did not travel with the team to Detroit. Pastrnak, who leads the Bruins in scoring with 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points, has been out with an undisclosed injury since the team’s 3-1 win over the New York Islanders on November 26th.
In his first season with the Bruins, Arvidsson has six goals and four assists for 10 points in 20 games played. Boston acquired the veteran this past offseason for a fifth-round pick in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers. Arvidsson, 32, is in the final season of a two-year, $8 million contract.
Last season with the Oilers, Arvidsson tallied 15 goals and 12 assists for 27 points in 67 games played. He also added two goals and five assists for seven points in 15 postseason games during Edmonton’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators, Arvidsson spent the first seven years of his NHL career with Nashville. He enjoyed team and individual success with the Predators, making the Stanley Cup Finals in 2017 and notching back-to-back 61-point seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
Ahead of the 2021-22 season, the Swedish national was traded from Nashville to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for second and third-round drafts picks. Arvidsson played well in Los Angeles, as he compiled 123 points in 161 games over three years. However, his 2023-24 season was severely shortened due to a back injury.
After visiting the Red Wings on Tuesday, the Bruins will head back to Boston to host the St. Louis Blues on Thursday.