Arthur Kaliyev’s messy situation with the Los Angeles Kings has led him to the New York Rangers.
Kaliyev didn’t just magically land in New York. There was a series of events that caused the Kings’ relationship with the young forward to become bitter, and it certainly wasn’t pretty at all.
The Kings selected Kaliyev in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft, and he quickly rose up the ranks of the team’s top prospects.
In the 2021-2022 NHL campaign, Kaliyev was already a full-time player for the Kings, as he scored 14 goals, 13 assists and 27 points in 80 games.
He followed that up by scoring 28 points in 56 games the following year, with the future looking bright for Kaliyev in Los Angeles.
However, it was during the 2023/24 season that everything started to crumble for the right winger.
He had a strong camp and started well on the line alongside Phil Danault and Trevor Moore before it all went downhill for Kaliyev.
After changing lines, the 23-year-old started to struggle and then suddenly started getting dropped from the lineup.
In January 2024, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that Kaliyev was looking for a change and then-Kings coach Todd Mclellan reacted coldly to this report about Kaliyev’s lack of playing time.
“He’s got to fit in with the team, OK,” McLellan said. “I know some of you are nodding because you’ve been with the group long enough and you understand. You have to work hard to fit in. And you have to be a good boy, and I’m not saying Arthur isn’t. a good teammate, but you have to be able to pass and want to be successful. And if he does, he will play again.”
Despite making his frustrations known, the Kings opted not to trade Kaliyev and dragged this entire situation into the offseason.
Ultimately, a one-year, $825,000 deal with the Kings was agreed to in the 2019 second-round pick in September, despite still preferring to trade, according to NHL Insider David Pagnotta.
Kaliyev suffered a broken collarbone during training camp, which sidelined him for about two months.
Even when he was eligible to return, the Kings opted not to play him as the feud seemed to reach a boiling point.
Los Angeles waived Kaliyev on Sunday and the Rangers wasted no time in picking him up.
Rangers general manager Chris Drury sees the potential in what the Kings used to consider a promising forward.
At 6-foot-1, Kaliyev has all the physical attributes to be a dangerous player and has shown how dynamic he can be when put in the right situation.
Now, Kaliyev will get a fresh start in New York and we’ll see if he can take advantage and develop into an impactful NHL player.
