Boston Bruins
“I already knew it wasn’t going anywhere.”
Viktor Arvidsson is second on the Bruins with 5-on-5 goals this season. John Tolomacki/The Boston Globe
Don Sweeney and the Bruins had little interest in giving up valuable picks and prospects in search of rentals and other short-term pieces before Friday’s trade deadline.
But he also won’t embrace a seller’s market by offloading players whose future in Boston remains uncertain.
“If we could improve the future of our hockey club, I would look at it as pragmatically as possible and do that,” Swinney said of shipping players onto Boston’s roster. “But still, it wasn’t just about collecting any assets and extracting them from the fabric of our group.”
In just a few short months, Viktor Arvidsson has worked his way into the fabric of this Bruins roster.
Despite the 32-year-old’s status as a pending free agent, Bruins coach Marco Sturm wasn’t concerned about Arvidsson’s uncertain fate entering Friday’s trade deadline.
“I already knew he wasn’t going anywhere,” Sturm said with a smile after Boston’s 3-1 win over Washington on Saturday.
Shipping Arvidsson likely guaranteed Boston another second-round pick — given how much contending clubs value the forward’s proven scoring punch, skating ability, and veteran mettle.
Despite the appeal of another pick on top of Boston’s already massive trove of draft capital, Swinney and the Bruins weren’t looking to subtract a player like Arvidsson from this group.
Despite having some semblance of control on Friday due to a no-movement clause in his contract, Arvidsson was relieved to make it past the deadline without having to pack his bags.
“Obviously I’ve loved it here all year. We’re playing well,” Arvidsson said. “What can I say? I’m just happy to be here and doing everything I can for all these guys around me to push for the playoffs.”
The Swedish product confirmed his value to this playoff club once again on Saturday.
He broke a 1-1 deadlock in the third period against the Capitals — beating Logan Thompson on a breakaway for his 18th of the season.
Once viewed as a potential reclamation project after a relegation year with the Oilers, Arvidsson now ranks second on the club in 5-on-5 goals (13) and third in 5-on-5 points (25).
“I’m happy he’s playing the right way and taking care,” Sturm said of Arvidsson. “He’s one of those guys who gets really angry when things don’t go his way, but it shows me he cares a lot.
“He cares about winning. He cares about this team, and he cares about doing everything he can to help this team. And he did that again today. So I’m glad he’s still here, and I’m glad he’s going to be a big part of our next big run.”
That increase in production — coupled with the expiration of his contract — may have made him a viable trade chip this month.
But with a retooled Bruins team looking to make inroads as a contender, could Arvidsson be a player worth investing in over the next few seasons?
Even with Boston She is scheduled to have more than $17 million in cap space this summerre-upping the game for a player who is set to turn 33 next month presents some risks – especially for the smaller forward who has endured his fair share of bumps and bruises over the years.
But a three-year extension could be a wise move for a Bruins team that — despite its sunny outlook in the coming years — still needs some stability (and proven production) in its middle six group for 2026-27 and beyond.
For now, Arvidsson isn’t worried about contract talks.
“We haven’t reached that point yet,” he added. “I think I’m more focused on this group and what we’re going to do this year, and we’ll see what happens in the future.”
Sturm likely has few concerns about fielding the same second line of Arvidsson, Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt next season.
In 398 minutes this trio has 5-5 reps this seasonthe Bruins are outscoring teams, 27-12, all while less than 50 percent of their faceoffs are set in the offensive zone (45.2 percent).
“He’s got a motor, but also I think he’s a guy who pushes other guys,” Sturm said of Arvidsson and this second line. It’s just a good combination. They are playing against top lines. They closed their doors, but they also found a way to sign up.
The Bruins will need to make room for James Hagens — possibly in late March — once Boston College’s season ends. A spot on the left wing on the first or third line (spots currently occupied by Marat Khusnutdinov and Alex Steeves) makes sense as a landing spot for the breakout candidate.
Other talented youngsters like Dean Letourneau, Will Zellers, and Cooper Simpson are just a few more years away.
Barring Boston making a big splash this offseason by signing a major free agent or trading for a dynamic winger, Arvidsson could be the perfect short-term stopgap for a team waiting for its homegrown talent to start filling vacancies on the depth chart.
Even once some of these guys start carving out NHL roles, Arvidsson could still be a solid third-line player as he ages into a new deal.
Of course, the Bruins will need to know when to move away from extending Arvidsson if the term or average annual return exceeds their comfort zone.
But for now, keeping Arvidsson in the fold after this season makes a lot of sense for a Bruins team that can use his speed and scoring after this year.
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