Fantasy: Take notice of Viktor Arvidsson

With forwards Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg and James Neal, along with defensemen P.K. Subban and Roman Josi, the Nashville Predators were one of the most dangerous offenses in the NHL on paper entering the season.
Yet Viktor Arvidsson (LW/RW, 27 percent owned) has shockingly been the Predators most consistent point producer this season. Arvidsson is tied with veteran center Mike Ribeiro for the Nashville lead in games with at least one point; each has points in 16 of 29 games played. Arvidsson also leads the Predators in points per 60 minutes (2.60).

Predators coach Peter Laviolette has made plenty of line changes this season in light of various slumps by his forwards, an injury to James Neal and the emergence of depth contributors like Arvidsson, rookie Kevin Fiala and power-play specialist Mike Fisher. But Arvidsson has managed to find the most continuity, gaining frequent usage on one of Nashville's top two lines.
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He is limited to 1:19 per game on the power play (three power-play points), but has spent much of the season on an even-strength line with Johansen and Neal. Nashville rolls out three strong lines and two potent power-play units on a nightly basis. The challenge remains to find the right combinations to maximize the production of its star players as the halfway point of the NHL season approaches.
But the Predators should have no complaints about their supporting cast, led by Arvidsson; it is a huge reason they rank sixth in the NHL in scoring with 2.97 goals per game. Their power-play efficiency has almost mirrored last season; they converted at a 19.7-percent clip in 2015-16 (10th in NHL) and stand at 20.4 percent (T-11th) this season.

The biggest problem has been Nashville's back end after it traded hard-hitting, shot-blocking defenseman Shea Weber to the Montreal Canadiens for Subban; Nashville is allowing 2.90 goals per game compared to 2.60 last season. Defenseman Ryan Ellis, who contributes at both ends of the ice, should help after returning from injury Dec. 13.
But, back to Arvidsson: the 23-year-old native of Sweden is second on the Predators in scoring with 20 points (behind Johansen's 21) and leads the team in shots on goal (95). He's 79th among all players in Yahoo's performance-based rankings and tied for the Predators lead in even-strength points (14) with Ribeiro and Forsberg.
To sweeten his fantasy appeal, he gained an extra position in Yahoo's most-recent position eligibility update Thursday. He followed with an assist and three SOG against the Minnesota Wild to extend his point streak to five games. He has two goals, four assists, 18 SOG and is plus-3 in the span.
This is the classic case of an under-the-radar prospect having to work for everything he has gained in an organization bursting with talent. Arvidsson split time between the Predators and Milwaukee of the American Hockey League in each of the past two regular seasons before playing all 14 games for Nashville in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He was a middle-round gem in the 2014 NHL Draft (No. 112, by Nashville) who was overlooked despite playing on back-to-back championship teams with Skelleftea of the Swedish Hockey League in 2012-13 and 2013-14. He combined for 24 points in 27 games in those two postseason runs.

Fantasy owners should make room for Arvidsson, who's right up there among the biggest surprises in all of fantasy hockey and still owned in fewer than one-third of leagues. They should also be patient with the more widely owned Predators players with the team still in the thick of the Western Conference Wild Card race despite plenty of adversity through the first two months of the season.

ADDITIONAL POSITION ELIGIBILITY CHANGES

In addition to Arvidsson, six other notable forwards have gained an additional position in Yahoo's latest update: Teuvo Teravainen (+C/LW/RW) of the Carolina Hurricanes, Kevin Labanc (+LW/RW) of the San Jose Sharks, Anthony Mantha (+LW/RW) of the Detroit Red Wings, Tyler Motte (C/LW/+RW) of the Chicago Blackhawks, Marian Gaborik (+LW/RW) of the Los Angeles Kings and Mikko Rantanen (+LW/RW) of the Colorado Avalanche.