Arvidsson traded to Kings by Predators for two NHL Draft picks

Viktor Arvidsson was traded to the Los Angeles Kings by the Nashville Predators on Thursday for two NHL Draft picks.

Nashville received a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft for the 28-year-old forward.

"Well, my first reaction was my teammates that I've been with for seven years and stuff like that. I was thinking about them and the fun I've had with them," Arvidsson said Wednesday. "After a while, I kind of looked to what I'm coming to and I'm really excited. I feel like it's a great opportunity for me and for the team. We have something really up and coming with young and older players who really want to win and are hungry to win. I'm really, really excited to be a part of it."

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Arvidsson scored 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 50 games this season. He did not play the final five games because of an upper-body injury and returned to play the first two games of a six-game loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup First Round.

"Of course, I had some bad luck and some injuries that I couldn't do anything about, but I'm on the right track," Arvidsson said. "I feel like I still had a good season if you look at how many scoring chances I created, how much I was involved in scoring chances for the team. So, I'm looking forward to coming to L.A. and show what I can do."

Arvidsson has three years remaining on a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $4.25 million.

He scored 61 points in consecutive seasons (2016-18), then scored his NHL career-high 34 goals in 58 games in 2018-19. That was followed by 53 points (25 goals, 28 assists) in 107 games the past two seasons.

"We want to thank Viktor for all he did to propel our organization forward during his time with the Predators," Nashville general manager David Poile said. "His work ethic, tenacity and goal-scoring ability -- as shown by his franchise single-season record of 34 goals during the 2018-19 season -- made him a key part of our teams that reached the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, won the 2018 Presidents' Trophy and earned back-to-back Central Division titles. We wish him and his family all the best moving forward in Los Angeles."

Selected by Nashville in the fourth round (No. 112) in the 2014 NHL Draft, Arvidsson has scored 239 points (127 goals, 112 assists) in 385 games, and 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 61 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The Predators have eight selections in the 2021 NHL Draft, which will be held July 23-24. Nashville has one pick in each of the first, third, fifth and sixth rounds and two in the second round and and in the fourth round.

The Seattle Kraken will participate in the NHL Expansion Draft on July 21. Nashville can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goalie.