Viktor Arvidsson to return to Oilers lineup Thursday after 15-game absence

Edmonton Oilers’ forward Viktor Arvidsson will return to the lineup Thursday night when the Oilers face the Boston Bruins.

At Oilers’ practice on Thursday, Arvidsson was skating on a line with Adam Henrique and Connor Brown. The winger was placed on Injured Reserve (IR) Nov. 21 and has been out of the lineup since Nov. 12, when he suffered an injury against the New York Islanders.

He was expected to return much earlier, but the issues have continued to persist, so the Oilers have retroactively placed him on IR to create more roster space since he’s now been out for a long enough period of time.

Weeks later on Dec. 5, Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said his injury “hasn’t quite healed the way we assumed it would,” and that there was no timeline for his return.

Through 16 regular-season games, Arvidsson has two goals and three assists for five points. He joined the Oilers in the offseason, signing a two-year deal worth $4 million per season.

The 31-year-old is coming off a 2023-24 campaign with the Los Angeles Kings where he only played 18 games due to a back surgery, scoring six goals and nine assists for 15 points.

In 11 NHL seasons, Arvidsson has 181 goals and 186 assists for 367 points in 562 career regular-season games with the Oilers, Kings and Nashville Predators. Drafted as a 21-year-old in the fourth round by the Predators in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, he immediately joined Nashville’s AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 22 goals and adding 33 assists for 55 points in 70 regular-season games.

Going into Thursday’s game, the Oilers are 18-11-2 with 38 points, third in the Pacific Division.