Edmonton Oilers will look to trade Viktor Arvidsson this summer: report
The winds of change are blowing for the Edmonton Oilers.
Following two consecutive Stanley Cup Final losses, Oilers GM Stan Bowman will implement a few critical changes to the team this summer. Goaltending will be the main focus for many Edmonton fans, but a number of changes are expected to hit the forward group as well.
One player who may not stick around into next season is Viktor Arvidsson, who is coming off a disappointing debut season with the Oilers. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on the latest episode of 32 Thoughts that both sides are looking to move on.
“I think they are gonna work on a solution for Arvidsson,” Friedman reported. “He has control [with a no-move clause], but I think he’s gonna work with them.
“Nobody is knifing anyone else on the way out. The Oilers aren’t going to say anything bad about Arvidsson, I don’t think Arvidsson is going to say anything bad about the Oilers. It just didn’t work, it’s time to move on.”
There were high expectations placed on the tenacious Swede when he signed with the Oilers last summer. He had his fair share of injury troubles over the past couple of seasons, but when healthy, Arvidsson could be expected to score 20+ goals in a season.
Unfortunately, he did not wind up being a good fit for the Oilers and produced just 15 goals and 27 points in 67 games. He was then healthy scratched for seven playoff games, including Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Arvidsson still has one more season remaining on the contract that he signed with the Oilers, which carries a cap hit of $4 million. Getting that money off the books will allow Bowman a bit more flexibility with his offseason moves.
It’s unclear what the Oilers could get back in an Arvidsson trade, or even what teams would be interested, but this report makes it seem like both sides would prefer a fresh start.