When the Edmonton Oilers signed scrappy winger Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year contract on July 1, 2024, fans expected him to push 60 points and give the team the final push they needed to bring home a Stanley Cup.
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Instead, Arvidsson put up a disappointing 15 goals and 27 points in 67 games. The hope was that a strong playoff showing would redeem his contract, but that wasn’t the case, as he scored just two goals in 15 games and was a healthy scratch more than once.
That said, the odds of Arvidsson bouncing back in 2025-26 are strong. He’s had down seasons before, only to come back better, and at 32 years old, there’s a good chance that happens again. However, it’s unlikely that it happens in Edmonton, as despite having a full no-movement clause, he’s expected to be traded this offseason, indicating that he wasn’t happy in Edmonton. Here are four teams that could trade for the veteran forward, who has one season remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $4 million.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins’ heyday is over. They missed the playoffs in 2024-25 and shipped out a franchise icon in Brad Marchand at the trade deadline, indicating that a rebuild, or at least a retool, is on the horizon.
With trade rumours also surrounding goaltender Jeremy Swayman, the Bruins could find themselves with plenty of cap room this offseason. That would put them in the perfect spot to acquire Arvidsson in hopes of flipping him at the 2026 Deadline for a pick or prospect.
Pittsburgh Penguins
While things aren’t too bright in Boston right now, they aren’t as grim as they are with the Pittsburgh Penguins. They have been stuck between a rock and a hard place for a long time, and should have started to rebuild before now, except for having an elite Sidney Crosby still on the roster.
The Penguins have finally opted to rebuild and will have a ton of cap space this summer. Like the Bruins, they would easily have room to bring in Arvidsson and could flip him at the deadline. He could even play on a line with Crosby and become far more productive than anyone might predict.
The Penguins have finally opted to rebuild and will have a ton of cap space this summer. Like the Bruins, they would easily have room to bring in Arvidsson, and could flip him at the deadline. He could even play on a line with Crosby and become far more productive than anyone might predict.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks have had no issue taking on bad contracts in recent years, and with another potentially long season in store, they should have no issue doing it again. They will have a lot of cap space this offseason and should be looking to acquire players just like Arvidsson to help their future success.
The Blackhawks could convince the Oilers to add compensation, such as a mid-round pick, to take Arvidsson’s contract off their books. It may not seem like a lot, but these types of moves with the ability to flip those picks later would speed up the rebuilding process.
San Jose Sharks
Another Western Conference team that still has a way to go in its rebuilding effort is the San Jose Sharks. All these rebuilding teams have plenty of cap space, which is why they all could be good landing spots for Arvidsson. Few playoff teams are going to want to acquire a forward coming off a down season with a $4 million tag.
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The Sharks have the most cap space of any NHL team at over $40 million, per PuckPedia. They could make a big splash in free agency, perhaps even going after Mitch Marner, and still have more than enough money to bring in Arvidsson for the final year of his deal.
Oilers’ Terrible Offseason Moves
The Oilers are a good team that made it back to the Stanley Cup Final in 2025, but their 2024 offseason was terrible. They not only elected to bring in two forwards who struggled immensely in Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, but they also lost good players like Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, Warren Foegele, and Ryan McLeod. Had they done things differently, they may very well have won the Cup this year.
