Since being acquired by Los Angeles in early July, Kings forward Viktor Arvidsson has been saying all the right things – i.e. he had a great time in Nashville, appreciates the opportunity they gave him, and has nothing but respect for the people there. What he hasn’t said is the one universal truth of nearly every professional athlete who gets traded, they can’t wait to show their former team what they’re missing out on.
Arvidsson will get that opportunity tonight when the Kings open up their first road trip of the season in Nashville.
Originally drafted by the Predators in 2014, the native of Sweden went on to play 385 games with the club, averaging more than 30 goals for three years before injuries entered the equation in 2019-20. Following a down year in 2021, he arrived in LA via a trade this past summer for a pair of draft picks.
His former club is 0-2 thus far, with both losses coming on home ice, so tonight’s game won’t come easy. The Kings will also be looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the Wild on Saturday night in LA – a game that was certainly within their reach.
Up front, Kings coach Todd McLellan looks to be making a few moves, as he wasn’t satisfied with his team’s effort against Minnesota, saying they had a few too many passengers in that game.
We had a few rusty players tonight. We are improved this year, but not enough to have passengers. — McLellan
— John Hoven | The Mayor (@mayorNHL) October 17, 2021
LA KINGS PROJECTED LINEUP vs. NASHVILLE ON 10/19
Arvidsson – Kopitar – Brown
Kempe – Danault – Iafallo
Moore – Vilardi – Tkachev
Grundstrom – Lizotte – Kupari / Kaliyev
Other options: Kupari / Kaliyev
Anderson – Doughty
Bjornfot – Roy
Edler – Walker
Other options: Maatta
Petersen (starter)
Quick
Injured Reserve: Andersson and Athanasiou
Non-Roster / Not Available: Lemieux
KINGS MILESTONES WITHIN REACH
Alex Edler – one goal away from career number 100
Phil Danault – needs 6 games to reach 400 NHL games played
Anze Kopitar – needs 63 points to pass Dave Taylor for third on the Kings all-time scoring list
Drew Doughty – 23 games from 1,000 GP; he’d be the first player from his draft class (2008) to reach the milestone and fourth player in team history to do so while playing their entire career with the Kings
Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 pm PST tonight and the game will be televised on Bally’s Sports Network.
RELATED CONTENT:
TRADE ALERT: Kings Acquire Viktor Arvidsson From Nashville Predators
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