BOSTON –– What might have seemed like an under-the-radar trade in the midst of last season’s free agency buzz turned into one of the Boston Bruins’ core veteran pieces in the 2025-26 season.
Viktor Arvidsson arrived in Boston in July after being dealt by the Edmonton Oilers. The 33-year-old seamlessly integrated into the B’s locker room and turned into a driving force both on and off the ice.
Arvidsson logged 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) through 69 regular-season games in the Black & Gold. His 25 goals were fourth-most on the team, and it marked the sixth 20-goal season of his 12-year NHL career. It was also Arvidsson’s fourth-highest point total, and his most since the 2022-23 campaign with the Los Angeles Kings. He had two goals through four games in the playoffs before missing the rest of the first round due to injury.
The second line of Arvidsson, Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha stuck together for the majority of the year, creating a chemistry that was nearly impossible to break apart. The trio logged a team-high 42 goals while skating 5-on-5.
Arvidsson posted 11 multi-point performances this season, including two three-point showings which came in back-to-back games. The winger had three assists and the shootout winner in the B’s 4-3 comeback against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on March 29. He followed it up with his fifth-career hat trick – on his daughter Navy’s fifth birthday – in the 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars on March 31 at TD Garden. It capped off a four-game point streak for Arvidsson; he had nine points (five goals, four assists) in that stretch.
Arvidsson’s longest point streak of the regular season was seven games from Jan. 6 to Jan. 17 when he had eight points (four goals, four assists). His six game-winning goals also tied Morgan Geekie for most on the Bruins.
Head coach Marco Sturm – who previously crossed paths with Arvidsson in the Kings organization – trusted the scrappy, experienced and passionate forward in all situations. Arvidsson’s ability to wear his heart on his sleeve no matter the circumstance made the B’s a better group in 2025-26.
