“Just when they think they know the answers, I change the questions!” — Roddy Piper
Viktor Arvidsson was scheduled to return tonight for the LA Kings in New Jersey.
That much is still true.
However, the plan of how to get there took a hard left on Tuesday night in Buffalo.
Forward Carl Grundstrom incurred a lower body injury and left early in the second.. He then returned to Los Angeles for further evaluation yesterday. Now, he has been placed on Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR); meaning he will be out for at least 24 days and 10 games.
Coupled with Blake Lizotte also being moved to LTIR (retroactive to Jan. 18), the Kings avoided sending Brandt Clarke to AHL Ontario in order to create the salary cap room necessary for Arvidsson to return.
It’s a plan that was laid out here:
Grundstrom had played in every Kings game this season, splitting time between the third and fourth line. Over those 50 starts, the 26-year-old forward had recorded 12 points, including eight goals.
A further estimate for Grundstrom’s absence will be established in the coming days, as he still needs some tests to be completed.
Meanwhile, although Lizotte’s timeline hasn’t been clarified just yet either, his LTIR was likely more clerical than anything, as his money frees things up temporarily. He has been skating of late.
In Arvidsson, the Kings will be getting back a player who scored 26 goals last season and adds a much-needed right shot to the power play.
Based on Wednesday’s practice, new coach Jim Hiller plans to reunite Arvidsson with Trevor Moore and Phil Danault. How that impacts the rest of the Kings forwards was looked at in yesterday’s article, linked below.
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