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Viktor Arvidsson Is Already Paying Off for Detroit
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- Viktor Arvidsson Is Already Paying Off for Detroit
The Detroit Red Wings signed Viktor Arvidsson on the first day of free agency in July to a two-year deal worth $10 million, which pays him $5 million a year. Through 12 games this season, Arvidsson has scored five goals and recorded five assists, along with a plus/minus rating of minus-2, and he is third on the team in points.
Oct 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) and left wing Viktor Arvidsson (33) celebrate game-tying goal by a teammate against the Seattle Kraken during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
What Viktor Arvidsson Did in Boston Last Season
It was a good thing that the Red Wings gave Arvidsson a reasonable contract. Arvidsson had a solid year in 2025-26 with the Boston Bruins. He scored 25 goals and recorded 29 assists in 69 games played with Boston. His plus/minus rating was plus-20. The Bruins made the playoffs last season before losing to the Buffalo Sabres in six games in the first round.
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No matter where Arvidsson has played in his NHL career, he has always been a valuable role player. At $5 million against the cap, Detroit is paying him like a complementary winger and getting first-line production instead.
Arvidsson Has Worked His Way Onto the First Line
At the start of the season, Arvidsson was not on Detroit's first line. He moved up two games in, when head coach Todd McLellan shuffled the lines after a loss to the Winnipeg Jets. According to dailyfaceoff.com , the latest Red Wings first line features Alex DeBrincat, Emmitt Finnie and Arvidsson. McLellan has had to do a lot of line shuffling.
This is not the first line that McLellan imagined through the first 12 games of the season. However, Arvidsson has no doubt worked his way up to the first line for Detroit. He had a goal and an assist in Monday night's 4-3 shootout win at the Edmonton Oilers, a game in which rookie goaltender Michal Postava made 25 saves in his first NHL start, and he gave the credit to everyone around him.
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"I think we played as a five-man unit all over the ice, helped each other out. (Postava) was unbelievable in net. It was a great game by every single one," Arvidsson said in his postgame availability, per NHL.com .
Red Wings Host the Blackhawks on Thursday
Detroit's next matchup is at home on Thursday, Oct. 29 against the Chicago Blackhawks at 7:30 p.m. ET. Arvidsson is third in points on the team this season, behind DeBrincat's 13 and Lucas Raymond's 11. Arvidsson will look to continue making an impact for the Red Wings on both ends of the ice.
