Hey guys! A couple hours ago, the Nashville Predators cracked a deal with the Kings, sending Swedish forward Viktor Arvidsson to Los Angeles in return for a second and third round pick. And while it is way too early to officially discuss a trade winner and loser, this one certainly appears to be a steal for Rob Blake and the L.A. Kings.
28-year-old Viktor Arvidsson has already hit the 30-goal mark twice in his career and is expected to inject some scoring punch in a Los Angeles roster currently starved for offence. In addition, playing top-line and powerplay minutes alongside elite centerman Anze Kopitar should help Arvidsson bounce back quickly after two tough, injury-ridden seasons in Nashville. Viktor Arvidsson is a high-volume shooter from the wing and if bounces start falling his way, this sleekit trade could easily become the highest value deal of the entire off-season.
(It is also important to note that on average, only 34% of second-round draft picks and 27% of third-round draft picks actually develop into NHL players)
Storyline to Watch with This Trade:
Shortly after the trade was announced, Predators' all-star forward Filip Forsberg took to social media to share his displeasure regarding the deal, using a thumbs-down emoji. Him and Arvidsson have played together on the same line for the last 7 years.