Injury Notes: Saros, Blues, Kings
Nashville Predators star goaltender Juuse Saros will remain out of the lineup as the Predators look to avoid a sweep tomorrow, per head coach John Hynes. The team will likely continue to roll with Connor Ingram in the net with veteran David Rittich backing him up.
Hynes noted during his availability this morning that Saros is skating now as he recovers from a lower-body injury, but his activities are still limited. Ingram has performed admirably in a tough situation, putting up a .919 save percentage in two starts (three appearances). While Saros could likely amass somewhat better numbers, the Avalanche have hemmed the Predators at every turn and look to be the only team to sweep their way into the Second Round.
- The St. Louis Blues are dealing with a triple threat in terms of defense injuries today. Head coach Craig Berube says Torey Krug, Nick Leddy, and Robert Bortuzzo are all out for Game 4 in just a few minutes against the Wild. While the outlook on Krug is not positive, the Blues hope Leddy and Bortuzzo can return to the lineup as soon as possible to help reinforce a weary and inexperienced blueline. However, young defenseman Scott Perunovich took warmups and could play his first game since January 15.
- Viktor Arvidsson remains out for the Los Angeles Kings tonight, and he could be joined by fellow forward Carl Grundstrom. Head coach Todd McLellan said the Swede is a game-time decision for Game 4 as the Kings look to get a home win to even the series at two games apiece. Grundstrom had no points in two games already in this series.
Viktor Arvidsson Will Not Play In Game One Against The Edmonton Oilers
Los Angeles Kings forward Viktor Arvidsson will miss Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers tonight with an undisclosed injury, says The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun (link). The news is surprising, as just this morning, Kings Head Coach Todd McLellan said there was a good chance Arvidsson would play tonight.
What exactly the nature of Arvidsson’s injury is remains unclear, however he did miss the Kings’ final regular season game on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. The forward did play on Wednesday, recording a normal-for-him 16:53 of time-on-ice in the game, but has not been able to play since. This isn’t Arvidsson’s first injury this season, missing time in early March with a lower-body injury.
Going without Arvidsson will be a challenge for the Kings tonight, as he ranked fourth on the team in points this season with 49 while playing in only 66 games. A well-rounded group, the Kings should be able to draw on the rest of their roster to make up for what they have lost in Arvidsson. Los Angeles acquired the 29-year-old in July in exchange for a second and third round draft pick.
Los Angeles Kings Place Viktor Arvidsson, Gabriel Vilardi In COVID-19 Protocol
The Los Angeles Kings placed forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Gabriel Vilardi in COVID-19 protocol just minutes ahead of puck drop of Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, per the team’s public relations department.
Arvidsson has had a decent start to his Kings career, scoring two goals and five points in eight games while averaging 18:25 per game, his most in three seasons. He’s posted great possession numbers to begin the season and has been a remarkable complement to the team’s top-six forward group.
Vilardi has just one goal in seven games after a strong rookie season last year, scoring 10 goals and 23 points in 54 games. He’s struggled to play meaningful minutes with the addition of Phillip Danault to the team, averaging just 12:58 per game as compared to 14:45 in 2020-21.
They’re big losses that add to a long list of crucial absences for the Los Angeles Kings, which includes Drew Doughty and Sean Walker on the back end.
Trade Rumors: Eichel, Blackhawks, Kings
Jack Eichel remains the biggest name on the trade market and will remain as such until he is dealt. Or not dealt? The Athletic’s John Vogl spoke to both sides and found that GM Kevyn Adams and Eichel’s agent had a long, productive meeting on Wednesday. Eichel’s camp believes that the situation is “heading toward a resolution.” Read into that what you will, but the language at least hints at a possible reconciliation between the two sides. This report comes on the heels of TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting that the Sabres’ asking price of “the equivalent of four first-round picks” has depressed the market. If the Sabres are not willing to drop the price of this franchise-altering trade, they could instead try to make amends with their superstar. Then again, Vogl also notes that the Sabres have not changed their opinion on Eichel’s proposed controversial neck surgery, a line in the sand that could still split the two sides. “Resolution” could still mean that the team and the player are working toward finding a trade.
- One team in on Eichel are the Chicago Blackhawks. Don’t mistake their openness to trading iconic defenseman Duncan Keith as transitioning into a rebuild. Dreger notes that they are big game hunting this summer and have talked to Buffalo about the star center. However, Dreger does not believe that adding Eichel to a roster that already has two top-tier forward contracts in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews is feasible from a cap perspective, even if Keith is moved. Instead, he believes that Chicago has a far better chance of landing one of their other two rumored targets: defensemen Seth Jones and Dougie Hamilton.
- The equivalent of four first-round picks is a mighty big ask, but it won’t slow down the Los Angeles Kings if they want to add Eichel. L.A. has long been a rumored landing spot for Eichel and it seems there is mutual interest in a trade. As Vogl notes, the Kings’ ability to part with the pieces needed to land Eichel hasn’t changed with today’s deal for Nashville forward Viktor Arvidsson. L.A. parted with two valuable draft picks, but not a first-round pick nor any of their top-flight first-round prospects like Quinton Byfield, Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Turcotte, Rasmus Kupari, or Tobias Bjornfot. If Eichel remains on the market, the Kings will definitely be in play.
Los Angeles Kings Acquire Viktor Arvidsson
The NHL trade market has been slow to this point, with many teams wary of making big moves that could upset their plans ahead of the Expansion Draft later this month. However, a move was made today as Nashville announced that they have dealt scoring winger Viktor Arvidsson to Los Angeles. The Predators will receive L.A.’s 2021 second-round pick, No. 40 overall, and a 2022 third-round pick. Though the deal may lack excitement with none of the Kings’ high profile prospects going the other way, it is a solid return for Nashville, who need to restock their system. According to The Athletic’s draft pick value chart, the Kings’ second-rounder this year plus a presumptive top-half third-rounder next year is equivalent to a late first-round pick.
Arvidsson, 28, has cracked 30 goals and 60 points twice in his six-year NHL career, showing dangerous scoring ability. Even as his numbers have tailed off the past two seasons, he has maintained a half-point per-game scoring mark in all five of his full NHL seasons. It is also worth noting that his 6.6% shooting percentage this season was an extreme deviation from his career average. Positive regression likely means that more goals are on the way. Arvidsson is more than just his scoring totals, too. The undersized, but hard-working wing plays big minutes, contributes to both the power play and penalty kill, and is an excellent possession player.
[Related: Expansion Primers – Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators]
With all that said, Nashville was not wrong to be shopping Arvidsson. At times this past season, he seemed too passive and uninvolved. While he has still put up solid top-six numbers, the Predators have been relying on him as a top-line scorer and he has fallen short. It seems that both sides will benefit from this change of scenery. Nashville will certainly benefit from the expansion flexibility, cap space, and draft pick capital as they look to get back into Stanley Cup contender status after some up-and-down years.
As for the Kings, this is exactly what GM Rob Blake and company have promised their veteran core. The team plans to add established talent this year to help take their young team to the next level and to give their long-time centerpieces another chance to win. In a new place with and with a fresh group of teammates, Arvidsson could easily return to elite production. They had draft picks they could afford to move, the Expansion Draft slot to spare, and a desire to win and now they have a capable veteran in the fold as they look to get back into playoff contention.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that the Kings were acquiring Arvidsson.
Injury Updates: Miller, Hintz, Arvidsson, Tanev
Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller was taken to hospital for scans and further evaluation following an injury sustained on a hit from Washington blueliner Dmitry Orlov in tonight’s Game Four, the team announced (Twitter link). A video of the hit can be seen here. Orlov was initially given a major penalty on the play but it was subsequently dropped to a double-minor before play resumed.
Other injury notes from around the NHL:
- Stars forward Roope Hintz has undergone successful surgery to repair his left adductor tendon that was injured back in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, relays Saad Yousuf of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 24-year-old was basically a game-time decision for the majority of the season and while he did miss 15 games, he was still quite strong offensively, notching a career-high 43 points while finishing third in scoring for Dallas. He is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp in the fall and considering the year he had while playing injured, there is certainly cause for optimism for him finding another level offensively next season.
- Predators winger Viktor Arvidsson was a late scratch in their third game against Carolina with the team announcing (Twitter link) that he’s dealing with an upper-body injury. He was fifth in scoring this season for Nashville with 25 points in 50 games and is listed as day-to-day. Calle Jarnkrok, who missed Game Two with an illness, took Arvidsson’s place in the lineup.
- Flames defenseman Chris Tanev has had tough luck with injuries over the years and while he played in all 56 games this season, it turns out he was far from healthy. Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson notes that the blueliner was dealing with a pair of broken ribs and a torn pectoral muscle by the end of the year but preferred to stay in the lineup and play through it rather than get an early start to his offseason. Tanev’s first year in Calgary was a good one as he was able to adapt to playing a bigger role in the lineup (he was second in ATOI among Flames defenders) and while he clearly wasn’t healthy, he didn’t miss a game for the second straight year.
Predators’ Arvidsson Could Be Nashville’s Best Trade Chip
While there has been speculation that the Nashville Predators will be sellers this year with another disappointing season as the team stands at 10-14, sixth in the Central Division, many experts are pointing fingers at Filip Forsberg, who has just one more year remaining after this one. The 26-year-old forward is one of the few bright spots this year with 10 goals and 24 points in 24 games and there are many questions regarding his asking price (potentially in the $9MM AAV range) and interest in remaining on a team ready to begin a full rebuild. However, there is also speculation that the Predators asking price for Forsberg is incredibly high, making it less likely they will deal him when the trade deadline rolls around on April 12.
On the other hand, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta writes that a more likely candidate to be moved will be forward Viktor Arvidsson. The 27-year-old is in the fourth year of a seven-year, $29.75MM deal and for a three year period (from 2016-17 through the 2018-19 seasons) averaged more than 30 goals per season. However, Arvidsson’s play like much of his team, has dropped in the last two years. He scored just 15 goals last season and currently has just three goals and 12 points in 24 games so far.
Regardless, it makes sense that a possible revival in Arvidsson’s offense could easily happen on a contender. Add in that fact that almost everyone in Nashville is struggling would suggest that he can turn his game around. Throw in that Arvidsson makes a reasonable $4.25MM per year and is locked up for another three years, giving teams some security could make him an attractive commodity for many playoff contenders.
Of course Nashville has plenty of other candidates it wouldn’t mind moving, including pending UFA’s Mikael Granlund and Erik Haula. It might even consider discussing some of their top defensemen. The team also wouldn’t minding ridding themselves of centers Matt Duchene or Ryan Johansen, but both have contracts that might prove difficult to move.
Nashville’s Austin Watson Moved From Healthy Scratch To First Line
It has now been a week and a half since John Hynes replaced Peter Laviolette as the head coach of the Nashville Predators. In that time, it has been a mixed bag of results. Hynes lost his debut mere hours after his hire became official, but it came at the hands of the Boston Bruins, one of the league’s best teams. The Predators then scored a convincing win over the Chicago Blackhawks and a hard fought two points against the Winnipeg Jets. Just when it looked like the coaching change could be paying immediate dividends, Nashville dropped their past two games to the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks.
Hynes has apparently decided that major lineup changes may be in order to get the team to play up to their expectations and he plans to begin those experiments on Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres. After already demoting Viktor Arvidsson to the third line, Hynes is set to roll out another major lineup change. Austin Watson goes from healthy scratch for four of the five games of Hynes’ young tenure to the first line, joining Ryan Johansen and Calle Jarnkrok. He replaces Craig Smith, who is set to fall all the way to the fourth line with Kyle Turris and Colin Blackwell, with Yakov Trenin getting the healthy scratch due to Watson’s addition.
Hynes’ thinking with this move may not be as focused on offense as it is on defense. In fact, while many Nashville forwards have been disappointing on an individual basis this season, the team is tied for eighth in the NHL in goals for per game. The same can’t be said for goals against, where the Predators are ranked 24th. Nashville simply has not been a difficult team to play against this season and the loss of Colton Sissons has only exasperated that fact. There has been an obvious lack of physical response and energy from the forward group many nights. As they struggle to get a more balanced, two-way effort out of their forwards, Hynes may be hoping that a refreshed Watson, who leads the team in hits by a wide margin despite sitting six games (and Sissons is in second) can add some punch to the top line. Meanwhile, Smith can bring some experience and scoring threat to the fourth line, where maybe he can even get Turris re-energized.
Perhaps more important than strategy is that this moves by Hynes sends a message that no one’s role is safe under the new coach. The effort has to improve and no one is irreplaceable if they don’t perform. If the team continues to lose, don’t be surprised to see GM David Poile send the same message to his roster by the trade deadline.
Snapshots: Kassian, Moore, Arvidsson
Zack Kassian is just a point away from tying his career-high already this season and will likely set a new high water mark in goals as well. It’s perfect timing for that kind of performance as he heads towards unrestricted free agency in the summer. According to Mark Spector of Sportsnet however, the big forward may never get there.
Spector tweets that Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland has spoken several times with the representatives for Kassian and believes that the team will announce a multi-year contract before the trade deadline. That would take the 28-year old off the market and provide the team with a little more cost certainty up front. The Oilers currently have seven rostered forwards on track to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have assigned Trevor Moore to the minor leagues on a conditioning loan, indicating the speedy forward is getting closer to a return. Moore has played just a single game since the middle of November as he dealt with various injuries, but could be another boost to a Maple Leafs’ team that is built around their offensive depth. The team has just one game before their bye week and All-Star break, meaning Moore will have plenty of time to recover fully.
- Viktor Arvidsson has been fined $2,000 for his second citation of embellishment this season. The first incident, which comes with just a warning, was against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the end of December. This newest one came against the Boston Bruins on January 7th. Though the punishment is not very expensive at this point, it does escalate for repeat offenders and can even cause fines for a head coach eventually.
Western Notes: Arvidsson, Granlund, Demers, Glass
The Nashville Predators expect to get two big returns to their lineup Saturday as the forward’s Viktor Arvidsson and Mikael Granlund are expected back, according to NHL.com’s Matt Kalman. Both have been out with lower-body injuries, but the hope is that both players will boost Nashville’s struggling team.
Arvidsson has missed 12 games over four weeks. He was originally estimated to be out for four to six weeks, which means he will return at the early part of the estimation. The 26-year-old started strong with six goals and 15 points in 22 games. Granlund, on the other hand, has missed four straight games with a lower-body injury as well. Granlund has four goals and 12 points in 28 games.
- The Athletic’s Craig Morgan reports that Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jason Demers was a full participant in practice Saturday and while he is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against Detroit, but is expected to be re-evaluated on Monday against Nashville. This is a quick turnaround for Demers who underwent a minor procedure on his knee just two weeks ago.
- Vegas Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant said that while forward Cody Glass is closing in on a return, he will not play in their back-to-back games against San Jose and Colorado Sunday and Monday, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen. Glass, who has been out since Dec. 8 with a concussion, skated Saturday in a non-contact jersey, suggesting he’s close to returning. That could suggest that the rookie could make his return Friday vs. Anaheim.
- The Minnesota Wild hope to get back a player as well. Star Tribune’s Sarah McLellan reports that center Joel Eriksson Ek should be able to return at some point next week. The 22-year-old has been out with an upper-body injury for the past week and is expected to practice with the team on Sunday. Eriksson Ek has two goals and 12 points in 30 games this season.