2018-2019 Player Reviews: Viktor Arvidsson

It’s time to start off the 2018-2019 report cards with fan favorite Viktor Arvidsson.

“That there’s an RV, Clark!” —Cousin Eddie

Season Overview

Arvidsson played in 20 fewer games in 2018-2019 than he did the season prior. However, he scored 5 more goals in 2018-2019, totaling 48 points (34 goals and 14 assists) over 58 games. His playoffs were underwhelming—Arvidsson didn’t appear on the scoresheet at all.

His scoring rate was third in the NHL when he returned from injured reserve in late December.

Here’s Arvidsson’s overall season from hockeyviz.com:

We know Arvidsson spends 95% of his time with Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg, and we know this line should not be split up.

Even while missing a good chunk of the season, Arvidsson remained a threat from nearly every spot on the ice. Check out this heat map:

His contributions are crucial to the team’s success. In a fully healthy season, Arvidsson could be a 40-goal scorer (along with Filip Forsberg).

Best Moment

This goal comes from the very beginning of the 2018-2019 season. Arvidsson simply walks around Islanders defender Ryan Pulock, razzle-dazzles, and pokes the puck past goalie Thomas Greiss.

Many of Arvidsson’s goals involve him making a defender look really stupid. This is no exception.

Worst Moment

Arvidsson once again missed time this season due to injury. The team is noticeably different without #33 on the ice. He is a player who wants to make an impact in every shift, and he finds ways to do that with every opportunity.

An alternate worst-moment for Arvidsson would be when he caught a puck in the mouth in October and lost his front teeth. He played with a modified cage for a bit, but our favorite little guy was front-toothless for a majority of the season.

Trending Up or Down?

How would you assess Arvidsson’s trends over the last few seasons? After showing up in the organization as a late-round gem, Arvidsson has proved his doubters wrong at every turn. It’s been speculated widely in the media that last season would have seen him flirt with the 40-goal mark had he not sustained a thumb injury.

Arvidsson is heavily defended when he’s on the ice, but we all know he can slip around opponents twice his size and streak down ice when there’s an opportunity. He takes his fair share of beatings against the boards, but he’s relentless in chasing the puck. It feels like Arvidsson has shown us everything he can do, but then he pulls out some unbelievable “dipsy-doodle” move and leaves us all with our mouths on the floor.

I predict that this coming season will be Arvidsson’s first 40-goal season.

Final Grade

A-

I’m not really sure how you’d give “Arvi” anything less than an “A”. He skates fearlessly and finds his way to the puck with more determination than 5 different Predators put together. Missing time due to injury would not be a reason to deduct points for his final grade.

Fan Grade

How would you grade Viktor Arvidsson’s season?