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“Sweden West” grows as Arvidsson signs with Preds

The reputation of Sweden West continues to grow as the Nashville Predators ink 2014 fourth round pick Viktor Arvidsson to a three-year entry-level deal.

The Skellefteå, Sweden native finished ninth in Swedish Hockey League scoring last year with 40 points in 50 games. He also helped his Skellefteå AIK club win back-to-back SHL championships as he posted 16 points in 14 games this past post season, third best among all players.

He even caught the eye of the hockey world during development camp when he put on a show during the scrimmage shootout.

He’s undersized at just 5’9″ but for Arvidsson, the skill is there. Can he be the same productive player on the smaller North American ice? The Predators will find out come October.

The addition of Arvidsson gives the Nashville organization their ninth Swede slated to play in North America this coming season. Mattias Ekholm, Filip Forsberg, Magnus Hellberg, Calle Jarnkrok, Johan Alm, Pontus Aberg, Patrick Cehlin and Viktor Stalberg are the others.

The official press release is below.

Nashville, Tenn. (July 15, 2014) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the Predators have signed 2014 fourth-round selection Viktor Arvidsson to a three-year entry-level contract.

Arvidsson, 21 (4/8/93), ranked ninth in the Swedish Hockey League in points (16g-24a-40pts) during the 2013-14 season, then helped Skelleftea (along with newly signed Predator Johan Alm) win its second consecutive SHL title by tying for second in assists (12) and ranking third in points (16) during the postseason. During the title-winning season of 2012-13, the 5-9, 172-pound winger was named Swedish junior player of the year and a finalist for the SHL rookie of the year award, in addition to tying for fourth in playoff goals (6).

A native of Skelleftea, Arvidsson tied for eighth in goals (4) at the 2013 World Junior Championship, helping Sweden to a silver medal, and also earned silver at the 2011 Under-18 World Championship. He was a teammate of Predators prospect Filip Forsberg on both silver-medal squads, in addition to playing with prospects Pontus Aberg and Max Gortz at the 2009 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge.

Watch Arvidsson’s shootout goal from the Predators Development Camp Scrimmage that’s gone viral here.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Fuqua (used with permission)

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