The Detroit Red Wings have gotten exactly what they hoped for from Viktor Arvidsson, and the numbers make it impossible to ignore.
Through 18 games, Arvidsson sits third on the team in scoring with 15 points, a pace that works out to 37 goals and 70 points over a full season. He’s not just filling the box score, either. Hockey Alchemy put together a spreadsheet tracking the impact free agents have made with their new teams, and Arvidsson stands out there too.
In that ranking, only two players have added more Goals Above Replacement, or GAR, to their new clubs: Brady Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers and Jack Roslovic of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tkachuk has 20 points in 18 games and is scoring at better than a point per game. Roslovic, meanwhile, is skating alongside Auston Matthews, one of the NHL’s elite.
Arvidsson’s situation is different, which makes his production even more interesting. He’s playing on a line with Lucas Raymond, who shares the team scoring lead with Alex DeBrincat, and Andrew Copp. Copp is a steady presence, but he doesn’t bring the same kind of firepower Matthews does, or the kind of punch Sam Bennett gives Tkachuk in Florida.
That’s part of what makes Arvidsson such a strong fit in Detroit.
The same chart also shows a glaring red mark on the other side for the Red Wings, and that comes down largely to Daniil Tarasov and Keegan Kolesar.
Tarasov has taken a small share of the blame, but his individual numbers are solid. He owns a .919 save percentage and a 2.10 goals-against average, though his record sits at 2-3-2 because the team in front of him hasn’t helped much. The bigger takeaway there is that Tarasov looks capable of handling a larger role in the crease, and the advanced numbers should eventually line up with what he’s doing on the ice.
Kolesar is a tougher case.
He was brought in for one thing above all else: physicality. He’s delivered 46 hits so far, trailing only Andreas Englund, who has 47, and rookie Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, who leads the way with 79.
But outside of that, Detroit hasn’t gotten much from him. With the Vegas Golden Knights, Kolesar could at least chip in a few points each season.
In Detroit, he has only one goal in 18 games.
That lack of offense matters more because the Red Wings don’t have much depth production to cushion it. As a result, Kolesar’s ice time has shrunk to 10:17 per night. If he keeps missing on the scoresheet, he could wind up on the healthy scratch side of things instead.
For Detroit, Arvidsson has been the bright spot. Kolesar, not so much.
In Other News...
Red Wings Just Sent A Chilling Message About Dylan Larkin
Dylan Larkins absence has already started to show up around Little Caesars Arena in ways fans can see before they even get to their seats. After his suspension and departure from the Red Wings, the team took down his banner and removed his cardboard likeness from the building, then shifted that spot to the Russian Five as part of the groups 30th anniversary celebration.
The move has added a sharper edge to an already awkward moment for a franchise trying to manage the fallout around one of its most recognizable players. Larkin merchandise has also been pulled from the team store, even as Patrick Kane Red Wings jerseys remain on sale despite his own departure, leaving the teams handling of the two situations looking noticeably different. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin Standoff Is Suddenly Costing Everyone More Than Expected
Dylan Larkins situation has moved well beyond a routine trade request, and the financial cost is already adding up. The Red Wings have suspended him without pay after he refused to report to the rink, and the standoff has now cost him nearly $500,000 in salary while the sides remain stuck in place.
Detroit would like to widen the list of possible trade destinations so it can chase a stronger return, but Larkins camp has not budged. That leaves the Red Wings trying to work through a market that is still too narrow for their liking, with no clear sign yet that the impasse is about to ease. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin Trade Buzz Leaves Bruins Fans With One Big Doubt
Dylan Larkins trade chatter has taken on a familiar NHL twist, with the Red Wings still waiting to see whether his list of acceptable destinations grows beyond the roughly ten teams already believed to be in play. Jim Biringer said on TSN Radio that Minnesota is the preferred landing spot, which has only sharpened the sense that Detroit is dealing with a very narrow market as it sorts through what comes next.
For a team trying to navigate a potentially complicated roster decision, that matters. The Red Wings are not just waiting on Larkins preferences to clarify, they are also weighing other ways to reshape the roster if the situation stays stuck, including the possibility of moving players such as Simon Edvinsson. For now, though, the bigger question is whether Detroit gets more flexibility from Larkin or has to start making its own moves without it. [Read more 🡒]