In the days leading into free agency, the names were slowly coming off the board that would be impact players for NHL teams. That was not good news for Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney before the clock struck noon on Tuesday.
One area where there is a big need is up front with either a goal-scoring wing, despite re-signing Morgan Geekie, or a center. There is no doubt that Sweeney can't leave this time frame without adding at least one or a depth scoring piece. Just who he targets in free agency remains to be seen, but he addressed the need at wing with a trade with the Edmonton Oilers.
Bruins trade for Oilers wing Viktor Arvidsson
At some point, Sweeney was going to have to address some needs through a trade, and that was the case on Tuesday morning before free agency began. Boston acquired Viktor Arvidsson from the Oilers in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick in 2027, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Arvidsson has one year remaining on a two-year contract that carries a $4 million AAV.
This past season, Arvidsson hd 15 goals and 12 assists for Edmonton in 67 regular-season games while averaging 15 minutes a night. A fourth-round pick of the Nashville Predators in the 2014 Entry Draft, he played in 15 playoff games for the Oilers in their second run to the Stanley Cup Final with two goals and five points. He tallied a goal in Game 1 against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.
This move gives the Bruins some depth on the wing who, in the right situation, can produce, something that the Black and Gold sorely missed last season. This is not a bad move for Sweeney, addressing one need ahead of free agency.