Welcome to the Nashville Predators‘ All-Time 25 in 25. In this series, we at The Hockey Writers will unveil our top 25 players in franchise history in honor of the organization’s 25th anniversary. Starting Sept. 18, we will unveil a new player every day until the Predators’ home opener at Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 12. Join us as we celebrate 25 years of hockey in Nashville. At 20 – Viktor Arvidsson.
Arvidsson’s Career As a Predator
The Predators drafted Viktor Arvidsson 112th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. They took a chance on the undersized winger, who was sporting a 5-foot-9, 172-pound frame at the time. He made his NHL debut in the 2014-15 season, playing six games. Although he went scoreless in the six contests he appeared in, he was lighting up the American Hockey League (AHL), scoring 55 points in 70 games. Arvidsson would play 56 games in the NHL the following season, posting a respectable 16 points. The homegrown talent was teetering on a breakout season, and in the 2016-17 season, he put the NHL on notice.
Arvidsson scored 31 goals and 30 assists for 61 points in 80 games during the 2016-17 season, emerging as a top-six weapon and bolstering the Predators forward group. His additional scoring pushed the Predators over the top in the 2017 postseason. Entering as the eighth seed in the Western Conference, the Preds went on a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Final. Their Stanley Cup Final appearance was the first in team history, and Arvidsson played an essential role in getting there. He scored 13 points in 22 playoff games. Despite falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games, Arvidsson helped make history in his first full season with the team.
In the Predators Presidents’ Trophy Winning 2017-18 season, Arvidsson matched the 61 points he scored in the season prior. The back-to-back 61-point seasons remain the highest single-season point totals in his career. Arvidsson’s point production with the Predators would decline following this season, but his goal-scoring took another step in the 2018-19 season.
Arvidsson’s Record-Breaking Season
Arvidsson was a goal-scoring extraordinaire during the 2018-19 season. The forward only tallied 14 assists but set a new franchise record with 34 goals in just 58 games. His record-breaking 34th goal came against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Predators’ notorious central division rival. On the goal, Arvidsson came flying down the left side of the ice. He got an inside track on Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy and hit the top-right corner with pinpoint accuracy. In his celebration, the right-winger literally jumped for joy before getting mobbed by his teammates.
Arvidsson’s 34-goal benchmark only lasted until the 2021-22 season. Matt Duchene and Filip Forsberg broke his goal-scoring record that season, scoring 43 and 42 goals respectively. Arvidsson only spent two more seasons with the organization after his record-setting year, but he never came close to matching his 34-goal clip in 18-19.
In the Predators’ record book, Arvidsson sits 25th in games played (385) and assists (112), 15th in points (239), and 7th in goals (127).
The Predators Trade Arvidsson
The Predators traded Arvidsson to the Los Angeles Kings on July 1, 2021. In return for the former 30-goal scorer, they received the Kings’ 2021 second-round pick and 2022 third-round pick. The Predators sent the 2021 second-round selection (40th overall) they received along with their 2021 second (51st overall) to the Carolina Hurricanes for the 27th-overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. With their newfound first-rounder, the Preds selected forward Zachary L’Heureux. With the other selection in the original Arvidsson deal, the 2022 third-round pick, they selected defenseman Kasper Kulonummi.
After a couple of disappointing seasons with the Predators, Arvidsson quickly returned to form on an up-and-coming Kings team. In the 2021-22 season, he would score 49 points in 66 games. Arvidsson followed the successful season up with an even better one, putting up 59 points in 77 games. His time in Nashville ended sooner than one would’ve hoped, and watching him light the lamp in a different jersey is a tough sight for the Predators faithful.
Related: Predators’ Top 25 Players of All-Time: Steve Sullivan
Arvidsson is one of the Predators most prolific goal-scorers in their 25-year history. The undersized winger beat the odds and made the NHL through his impeccable work ethic, tenacity, and knack for scoring goals. He set franchise records, helped the Predators reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history, and became a beloved fan favorite. While his eventual trade ended his Predators tenure earlier than some hoped, fans will never forget the passion and energy he brought to the rink game-in and game-out.
