With Arvidsson Out 6-8 Weeks, Preds Prepared to Move Forward

The Predators will have to make their way without Viktor Arvidsson for the next six to eight weeks.
It was announced Wednesday the star winger will be out of the lineup, likely until the calendar flips to 2019, due to a broken thumb suffered last weekend in Dallas. It's a big blow for the Preds to lose Arvidsson who, along with Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen, helps to make up one of the more formidable trios in the NHL.
But just as the Predators have done before without top players available to them, they feel confident in the remaining members of the brigade to make up for the loss.

"He's a guy that is an engine for our team," Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette said of Arvidsson. "He does a lot of good things and plays in a lot of situations for us, so that's a tough blow. But, it's an opportunity for somebody to step up, and I think we've got enough guys inside of the room to cover something like this. We'll give guys an opportunity to show what they can do and make the most of it."
On Monday and Tuesday in Anaheim and San Jose, it was Colton Sissons who slotted on the right side with Forsberg and Johansen. On Thursday night in Arizona, Kevin Fiala looks to be the chosen one, owning a mix of skill and speed similar to the player who is vacating the spot.
"It's a great opportunity for a guy like Kevin who probably always wants to play a little bit more and find a few more minutes," Laviolette said. "He's going to get that opportunity now, probably play 18 to 20 minutes tonight and get that chance to do that and show what he can do."

Laviolette says a situation such as this causes him to not only consider his first line, but also how that will affect the rest of the lineup, depending on who is healthy on any given night. Sometimes the opponent could factor into the decisions, other times his own personnel.
In the current case, the return of Calle Jarnkrok on Thursday will allow Fiala to move from the second to first line with Jarnkrok taking his place alongside Kyle Turris and Craig Smith.
Whether it's Fiala, Sissons or another candidate who will play alongside Forsberg and Johansen in the coming weeks, that skater will certainly see an added responsibility to help Nashville's top trio produce.
Challenge accepted.
"There's always someone else that can try to just work as hard as possible to fill that role," Forsberg said. "Playing without Arvi, it's hard to replace him straight up, but other guys are going to have to step up and make big contributions."