The Boston Bruins are on the verge of acquiring Viktor Arvidsson from the Edmonton Oilers. Rumblings of the deal were first reported by notable insider Elliotte Friedman on X.
The Oilers are looking to clear cap space after signing defenseman Evan Bouchard to a four-year, $42 million contract on Monday. That put forward Viktor Arvidsson in the spotlight as a potential cap dump.
Arvidsson signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Oilers last summer. The hope was that Arvdisson could sneak into the team’s top six and provide depth scoring, especially playing on the second line with Leon Draisaitl.
However, Arvidsson had an underwhelming season, scoring 15 goals in 67 games. He played in 15 postseason games this year, scoring two goals and seven points.
The trade is evidently a camp dump by the Oilers, but it could work out for the Bruins. Boston could use more healthy bodies in their lineup. While Arvidsson projects as a third-liner at this point, the Bruins can afford to take a flyer on a year of Arvidsson at $4 million.
If Arvidsson has a solid bounce-back year, the Bruins could ship him off to another club at the deadline.
Price Bruins Could Pay for Viktor Arvidsson
The Bruins could land Viktor Arvidsson at a highly affordable price given his market value at the moment. Plus, the Oilers’ evident need to clear cap space doesn’t put them in a position to drive a hard bargain.
Anything beyond a sixth or seventh-round pick would be an overpay for the Bruins. Please bear in mind that the Oilers cannot afford to take any players back, as it would affect their salary cap structure.
So, draft picks could be the solution.
Arvidsson likely gets the Oilers a high draft pick, potentially in the 2027 draft. For the Oilers, something is better than nothing at this point.
Where Arvidsson Fits into Boston’s lineup
The Bruins could use a solid middle-six forward at this point. So, Arvidsson could play on the third line, perhaps with young center Fraser Minten. Minten will get a shot a cracking the team this fall. That’s why having an experienced player like Arvidsson makes sense.
Additionally, Arvidsson could slide up into the top six if need be. Of course, that will depend on lineup spots and potential injuries. But if injuries or inconsistency become an issue, Arvidsson could get a crack at the top six.
As it stands, the Bruins will want to try Arvidsson on the second line. He could play with fellow Swede Elias Lindholm. Perhaps that connection could help both players get back on track.
It’s also worth pointing out that the Bruins don’t have much depth beyond recently extended Morgan Geekie on the right wing. Mark Kastelic is a fourth-liner, while David Pastrnak will gobble up the top line spot.
That leaves Arvidsson to take over the third-line spot, giving the Bruins four right wingers to deploy this upcoming season. Bruins fans hope the team can deploy four solid lines each game as the team looks to get back into the playoff hunt.
