Ought to Bruins re-sign Viktor Arvidsson amid his sturdy yr?
Boston Bruins
“I knew already, he isn’t going wherever.”
Don Sweneey and the Bruins had little curiosity in relinquishing useful picks and prospects in quest of leases and different short-term items forward of Friday’s commerce deadline.
However he additionally wasn’t going to embrace a vendor’s market by offloading gamers whose futures in Boston stay murky.
“If we may have improved the way forward for our hockey membership, I might have checked out it as pragmatically as potential and achieved it,” Sweeney mentioned of transport out gamers on Boston’s roster. “However that being mentioned, it wasn’t nearly accumulating any asset and take away from the material of our group.”
Within the span of just some quick months, Viktor Arvidsson has woven his method into mentioned material of this Bruins roster.
Regardless of the 32-year-old’s standing as a pending free agent, Bruins head coach Marco Sturm didn’t fret over Arvidsson’s unsure destiny coming into Friday’s commerce deadline.
”I knew already, he’s not going wherever,” Sturm mentioned with a smile after Boston’s 3-1 win over Washington on Saturday.
Delivery out Arvidsson would have possible secured Boston one other second-round decide — given how a lot contending golf equipment worth the ahead’s confirmed scoring punch, skating potential, and veteran mettle.
As interesting because it may be to pile one other decide atop Boston’s already hefty treasure trove of draft capital, Sweeney and the Bruins weren’t trying to subtract a participant like Arvidsson from this group.
Regardless of having some semblance of management on Friday on account of a no-movement clause in his contract, Arvidsson was relieved to make it by the deadline with no need to pack his luggage.
”Clearly, I’ve preferred it right here all yr. We’re taking part in good,” Arvidsson mentioned. “What can I say? I’m simply joyful to be right here and doing all the pieces I can for all these guys round me to push for the playoffs.”
The Swedish product validated his worth to this playoff membership as soon as once more on Saturday.
He broke a 1-1 impasse within the third interval in opposition to the Capitals — beating Logan Thompson on a breakaway for his 18th tally of the season.
As soon as seen as a possible reclamation undertaking after a down yr with the Oilers, Arvidsson now ranks second on the membership in 5-on-5 targets (13) and third in 5-on-5 factors (25).
“I’m simply joyful as a result of he performs the appropriate method and he cares,” Sturm mentioned of Arvidsson. “He’s a kind of guys who will get actually mad when issues aren’t going his method, however that reveals me that he cares lots.
“He cares about profitable. He cares about this staff, and he cares about doing all the pieces he can to assist this staff. And he did it once more at this time. So I’m simply joyful he’s nonetheless right here, and I’m joyful he’s going to be a giant a part of our huge stretch arising.”
That surge in manufacturing — coupled along with his expiring contract — might need made him a viable commerce chip this month.
However on a retooling Bruins staff trying to forge a path forward as a contender, may Arvidsson be a participant price investing in for the following few seasons?
Even with Boston set to have over $17 million in cap house this summer season, re-upping a participant set to show 33 subsequent month does supply some threat — particularly for a smaller ahead who has endured his justifiable share of bumps and bruises over time.
However a three-year extension may be a prudent transfer for a Bruins staff that — regardless of its sunny forecast within the coming years — nonetheless wants some stability (and warranted manufacturing) — in its middle-six grouping for 2026-27 and past.
For now, Arvidsson isn’t fretting over contract talks.
“We haven’t obtained to that time but,” he mentioned. “I believe I’m simply extra centered on this group and what we’re going to do that yr, and we’ll see what occurs for the longer term.”
Sturm would possible have few qualms with rolling out the identical second line of Arvidsson, Pavel Zacha, and Casey Mittelstadt subsequent season.
In that trio’s 398 minutes of 5-on-5 reps this season, the Bruins are outscoring groups, 27-12, all whereas having lower than 50 p.c of their faceoffs set within the offensive zone (45.2 p.c).
“He’s obtained a motor, but additionally, I believe he’s a man who’s pushing the opposite guys,” Sturm mentioned of Arvidsson and that second line. It’s only a good combine. They play in opposition to high traces. They shut them down, but additionally discover a option to rating.”
The Bruins might want to allocate house for James Hagens — doubtlessly as quickly as late March — as soon as Boston Faculty’s season ends. A spot at left wing on both the primary or third line (spots presently occupied by Marat Khusnutdinov and Alex Steeves) is smart as a touchdown spot for the blue-chip prospect.
Different gifted children like Dean Letourneau, Will Zellers, and Cooper Simpson are a couple of extra years away.
Barring Boston making a splash this offseason with a key free-agent signing or commerce for a dynamic wing, Arvidsson may be the best short-term stopgap for a staff ready for its homegrown expertise to start out filling out vacancies within the depth chart.
Even as soon as a few of these children start to carve out NHL roles, Arvidsson may nonetheless be a strong third-line sparkplug as he ages on a brand new deal.
After all, the Bruins might want to know when to stroll away from an Arvidsson extension if the time period or common annual payout exceeds their consolation zone.
However for now, preserving Arvidsson within the fold past this season makes loads of sense for a Bruins staff that might use his pace and scoring punch past this yr.
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