Arvidsson bouncing Predators forward

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This article was published 06/05/2018 (2734 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NASHVILLE — Getting a bounce here or a bounce there has been crucial for the Nashville Predators during their playoff series with the Winnipeg Jets.

That’s a reference, of course, to Viktor Arvidsson, the human pogo stick.

The Preds’ winger is taking a leap of faith to screen Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck in the best-of-seven, second-round series with the Jets — and it’s been working. Listed at just 5-9, 180 pounds, he’s incorporating a wise and effective approach, planting himself in front of the 6-4 netminder and then vaulting into the air as pucks come whizzing in from the point.

Arvidsson has been credited with blocking the sightline with his patented jump screen on at least three Nashville tallies through four games, prior to Saturday’s matchup at Bridgestone Arena.

In Game 4 in Winnipeg, P.K.Subban’s second-period power-play goal sneaked through Hellebuyck because he simply couldn’t track the path of the puck, with the 25-year-old Swede on springs in front of him.

“I’m timing it and trying to jump across his vision when the shots come. It’s working this series. I’ve done it the whole year and last year, too. And I’m gonna keep doing it,” Arvidsson said. “I’ve been placed there the last two years and I’ve been working on my game in front. That’s what I try to do every day.”

Arvidsson said he’s accepted the fact that throwing up a screen sometimes comes with a price.

“You know that you’re not faster than the puck, and you just try to jump across when the shot comes. Sometimes, they hit me and sometimes they’re not and, fortunately, they haven’t hit me in a while, so that’s good,” he said. “I just try and time it as good as I can.

“I trust my shooters, too, that they’re going to put it where they want.”

Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette said Arvidsson’s willingness to claim space just above the crease, while taking the punishment that comes with it, earns the fourth-year NHLer a ton of respect from his teammates and coaches.

“He’s a fearless player. Sometimes, against a guy like (Dustin) Byfuglien, twice his size — literally twice his size — it’s just his courageousness. Not everybody goes to that hard area, especially on the power play when guys are shooting pucks 100 miles an hour,” Laviolette said Saturday, prior to Game 5 at Bridgestone Arena.

“To go in there and deal with that shot and deal with that physicality that comes with it, he does an unbelievable job. He is as courageous as it gets as a player and we’ve been able to score some goals. It goes further than just the net-front presence. It’s just the way he’s played the game. That’s not something that is new to us, it’s been that way since he’s gotten here, probably before he got here. It’s in his DNA, I think.”

Prior to Saturday night, Arvidsson had just one goal and two assists in the series, all coming in the Predators’ 5-4 overtime win over the visiting Jets last Sunday.

His perfect screens produce no points on the scoresheet, but are comparable to a perfect feed to the goal scorer.

“He’s tremendous at his job there, whether it’s the power play or five-on-five,” centre Ryan Johansen said.

“When he’s getting to the hard areas, he does such an amazing job and I’m glad he’s being acknowledged and getting some credit. It’s not an easy thing to do, especially when guys like (Byfuglien) are in there.

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“Within our room, he gets a ton of credit for doing that and putting himself on the line every single shift. He’s done that all year for us, so we’re used to it.”

The difficulty for the Jets to simply move out the impediment without leaving someone else open, or possibly getting slapped with another penalty.

Winnipeg rear-guard Josh Morrissey said there are ways to tie him up.

“As defencemen, that’s where you have to do a good job of trying to box him out and let (Hellebuyck) see the puck. He’s also got quick hands, so not give him a second or third whack at that loose puck,” he said.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @WFPJasonBell