Arvidsson: Predators didn't recognize my all-around game this season
Viktor Arvidsson feels the Nashville Predators didn't deploy him properly in 2021.
"I feel like I didn’t get seen as the all-around player I was, at the end of the day," the Los Angeles Kings forward told The Athletic's Adam Vingan. "That’s my honest truth about it. I feel like I need to get that off my chest.
"I didn’t play the (penalty kill). I didn’t play in all situations, which I did for the last six years. I didn’t play five-on-six and so on. I think I can contribute in all those areas."
The Predators traded Arvidsson to the Kings for a 2021 second-round pick and a 2022 third-rounder on July 1.
Here's how much his ice time decreased on the penalty kill in recent campaigns:
| Season | Shorthanded ice time | SH ATOI | Team rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1:29 | 0:02 | 25th |
| 2019-20 | 33:13 | 0:35 | 13th |
| 2018-19 | 74:11 | 1:17 | 10th |
While Nashville may have dealt him with the upcoming expansion draft in mind, the 28-year-old struggled by his standards this past season while collecting 10 goals and 15 assists over 50 games. However, his 6.6% shooting rate suggests misfortune was a factor.
Arvidsson amassed 94 goals across three seasons from 2016 to 2019 before his production started to tail off in 2019-20. That's when he tallied only 15 markers and 13 helpers over 57 contests.
But he battled through injuries that season after St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo hit him hard in November 2019. On Friday, Arvidsson confirmed how seriously he was hurt on the play, which resulted in a four-game suspension for Bortuzzo.
"I blew both my MCLs out on both legs," Arvidsson said. "I had double MCL sprains, on both (my) left and right knees. I came back from that after five weeks, I think, right before the (2020) Winter Classic, I believe."
Arvidsson returned in late December of that year, but he registered only nine goals and four assists over the final 35 regular-season games. However, he did score in three of his team's four playoff games in the Edmonton bubble.
The Swedish winger spent his first six full campaigns with the Predators, who drafted him 112th overall in 2014. He ranks sixth in franchise history with 127 goals over 385 matchups.