Viktor Arvidsson questionable for game against Predators, Oilers weigh options

The Oilers might be without Viktor Arvidsson on Thursday night when they take on his former team, the Nashville Predators. Arvidsson, who’s been playing on the second line alongside Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin, missed Wednesday’s practice with an undisclosed issue, but head coach Kris Knoblauch isn’t hitting the panic button just yet.

“He had a maintenance day,” Knoblauch said after practice. “He is 50/50 for tomorrow. It’s nothing too serious.” That’s certainly a relief for fans, especially given that Arvidsson has started to produce some points and the injury concerns carried over from the 2023-24 season in Los Angeles. The Oilers know a thing or two about critical players missing time, so seeing Knoblauch keep it cool is encouraging. Then again, I’ve grown wary of trusting injury updates.

Hearing that Arvidsson was taking a maintenance day was reassuring, but the update probably wouldn’t be enough to calm the nerves of those who worried about his health before the season even started. For many, there’s still concern with the player since the moment they signed him over the summer, as he was coming off a 2023-24 season that saw him appear in just 18 regular-season games due to a back injury.

Still, the Oilers are prepping a backup plan just in case. While Kris Knoblauch says he’s comfortable going with an 11-7 lineup or recalling a forward to keep the traditional 12, the second-year coach didn’t provide much insight into his thinking. “I haven’t decided that,” he said. “I’m gonna talk to Stan [Bowman] and we’ll decide. I’m comfortable calling somebody up and having the 12 forwards, or we can definitely go 11 and seven. That’s something we’ve talked about heading into the season, doing a little bit more than we did last year.”

If Arvidsson can’t go, the team didn’t fully flesh out his spot in Wednesday’s practice, which means they’re leaving options open. At the top of the call-up list is likely Noah Philp, who’s shown steady play in three NHL appearances this season. Philp has the grit and adaptability to fit in wherever the team needs, and his experience in recent games could give him the nod. Another long-shot possibility could be Matt Savoie, especially given Arvidsson’s top-six role, but that feels less likely given Savoie’s development curve.

As of this writing, Oilers fans will have to wait until tomorrow for the final decision about what the lineup will look like against the Preds, but I don’t think it’s a reach to assume some of us will be nervous for updates when it comes to Arvidsson’s health. Maintenance days are a part of hockey, but I think it’s fair to say a bunch of us were hoping to avoid them this early with this player. Here’s hoping for good news.

VIKTOR ARVIDSSON’S CAREER SO FAR