Arvidsson scored the game-winning goal for Boston on Saturday at TD Garden
BOSTON –– While the Boston Bruins’ makeup has changed throughout their 62 games so far this season, one thing has remained the same.
The second line.
Casey Mittelstadt, Pavel Zacha and Viktor Arvidsson have been a sure-thing trio for head coach Marco Sturm. The consistency and versatility are there, as is the trust and production. It is a combination that clicked at training camp – and, albeit some scattered injuries – has intentionally remained untouched.
“We have fun out there together, and talk about a lot of stuff on the bench or in the locker room. Try to always improve our game, and I think we’re doing a good job of that,” Arvidsson said. “We’re sticking together and playing a good brand of hockey. It’s competitive this time of year, and that’s what I like.”
Arvidsson was the newest face on the second line when the season began. The 32-year-old forward was traded to Boston from the Edmonton Oilers in July.
“Amazing add to our team. He’s been playing great. That second line is pretty much the only line that has been together for the whole season,” David Pastrnak said. “There are nights that they win the games for us.”
Sturm already had familiarity with Arvidsson; they crossed paths in the Los Angeles Kings organization. Arvidsson, who is now fully healthy, has come into his own with the B’s. His grinding, pesky, tenacious, speedy and intelligent play has benefited the Bruins as they chase playoff positioning.
“He’s a motor, but also he’s a guy who is pushing the other guys. It is just a good mix. [The second line] plays against the top lines in the league there, they shut them down but also find ways to score – because they are all different, it seems like,” Sturm said. “They all have pretty good hockey IQ; they’ve all been around a long time. I think it’s just a combination that fits very well. That’s why they’ve been my most consistent line all year long.”
Arvidsson, Zacha and Mittelstadt are all in the top-seven for point-getters on the Bruins. Their line, according to Natural Stat Trick, has logged the most 5-on-5 goals for Boston this season with a total of 27 through 41 games together.
Mittelstadt has 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists). Zacha has 42 points (16 goals, 26 assists). Arvidsson has 33 points (18 goals, 15 assists) – including the game-winning tally in the B’s 3-1 defeat of the Washington Capitals on Saturday at TD Garden. Arvidsson has three points in the last two games.
“He’s a great person in the locker room. He works really hard every day for us. I am so happy to get a chance to play with him,” Zacha said of Arvidsson. “He wins so many pucks, scores goals, is really aggressive. I think that’s something that you want on your team. He’s been doing a great job. We’re really happy to have him, and it’s a lot of fun playing with him.”
Mittelstadt echoed the same sentiment. The success of the second line has helped the 27-year-old forward settle into his Bruins identity, too. Mittelstadt was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche at last year’s deadline during a tumultuous stretch. Boston is now feeling like home, and he is part of something bigger than himself.
“It’s been a blast to play with [Arvidsson] and Pav. Try to keep it going,” Mittelstadt said. “I think we should be very proud of what we’ve done at home, especially. The game we’ve built at home and the confidence we play with here in front of our fans has been a lot of fun. Probably one of my favorite things of the year. Definitely been an honor.”
The Bruins’ 12th consecutive win at TD Garden was on Saturday, nearly 24 hours after the NHL Trade Deadline came and went on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. There were no goodbyes to be said this year. Arvidsson will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season; he has remained a Bruin.
“I knew already he’s not going anywhere. But I am just happy because he plays the right way, and he cares. He’s one of those guys who gets really mad when things are not going his way, but that shows me that he cares a lot. He cares about winning, and he cares about this team. And he’s caring about doing everything he can to help this team,” Sturm said. “I am just happy he’s still here and going to be a big part of our big stretch coming up.”
General manager Don Sweeney took what he called a “cautious approach” to the trade deadline. With market prices high and an on-the-go retool still in action, Sweeney declined to make a deal just for the sake of it. Instead, he gave the power to the players on his current roster.
“I think the group deserves the opportunity to continue to forge forward,” Sweeney said. “The guys have done a great job, the coaching staff. We’re still excited about that. I think our odds are if we play the right way we’re supposed to play, that we were before the break, that we’re going to be a tough out and get in. That’s the challenge to the group.”
The Bruins made two AHL-level transactions on Friday. They acquired Lukas Reichel from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, and also acquired forwards Alexis Gendron and Massimo Rizzo from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Brett Harrison and defenseman Jackson Edward.
The main club, though, has the assignment to keep battling. And they have heard the message loud and clear.
“I think everybody speaks pretty openly the whole season about the group of guys we have in the room and how much we love each other on and off the ice. Management feels the same way. There was nothing to help the group, just proves that they have trust in us,” Pastrnak said. “We work for each other every night, and we just have to keep going.”
It has taken buy-in from every single player for Boston to be where it is, with 75 points in the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. Perhaps the veteran acquisition of Arvidsson during the summer did not steal every headline, but it has made all the difference for the Bruins as they compete for something meaningful.
“We have, since we started in September, believed in this group,” Arvidsson said. “I think it’s just a statement from management that they also believe in us, and that we can push for a playoff spot with this group. We just have to keep sticking together and keep playing like we are.”
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