Just a few months ago, a couple of NHL insiders reported that Los Angeles Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev was no longer happy and had requested a trade out of Los Angeles. There was ample time for general manager Rob Blake to make this trade happen but no move was ever made.
Acquiring a former second-round pick who only has three seasons in the NHL under his belt would be a low-risk high-reward type of situation for any team. Given Kaliyev’s recent season and the fact he was a healthy scratch for a lot of it, the Kings wouldn’t have much leverage, making it easier for teams to bite the bullet and take a gamble on him. The 23-year-old is currently not under contract. The three-year deal Kaliyev signed back in 2020 finished at the end of last season. He is currently a restricted free agent (RFA) giving Los Angeles full control over whether or not he returns as a King.
Kaliyev Found Success Early on as a King
Kaliyev was drafted 33rd overall in 2019 and was ranked No.25 in The Athletic’s prospect rankings in 2021 (from ‘NHL top 50 prospects, 2021 edition,’ The Athletic, August 16, 2021). The 2020-21 season was a big one for the Uzbekistan-born winger. He scored in his first and only game as a King that season and had a rather productive year in the American Hockey League with the Ontario Reign, finishing just under a point per game with 14 goals and 31 points through 40 games. That was the same season he played a huge part in leading the United States World Juniors team to a gold medal, collecting eight points in seven games.
Things were looking up for Kaliyev as his success and production levels in the AHL rewarded him with the opportunity to take that next big step. He played in 80 games for the Kings in 2021-22 and ended the season with 14 goals and 27 assists. Those are pretty decent numbers for a second-round pick playing in his first NHL season.
Improvement was a common theme for Kaliyev over the span of three years. He was following the trajectory every team hopes their top-end prospects follow, which was continuing to improve and develop each season. Kaliyev finished his 2022-23 campaign with one more point than he finished with the previous season but the difference was that he played 24 fewer games.
What’s shocking is how all that progress seemed to disappear last season where he essentially played his way into the press box. Kaliyev went from producing 0.5 points per game in 2022-23 to being a regular healthy scratch and only managing to put up seven goals and 15 points in 51 games. The decline in production was astronomical and it’s no wonder he was sat a lot.
What Factors Led to Kaliyev’s Struggle and What Can Be Done To Change That
Kaliyev had a tough season but a lot of it may have been out of his control. According to Natural Stat Trick, his most common linemate last season was Pierre-Luc Dubois. Playing on a line with 2023-24 Dubois speaks for itself and when the effort isn’t there from your linemates it’s easy to lose focus. He also spent a decent amount of time playing with Alex Laferriere and Phillip Danault. Laferriere was still learning the ropes and becoming comfortable as an NHLer so it’s unfair to criticize why production levels were low when they played together. Playing with Danault also meant playing with Trevor Moore a lot of the time which seemed to be a good fit for Kaliyev. He had seven points in 10 games to start the 2023-24 season playing on a line with both Danault and Moore.
For reference, Kaliyev spent a total of 182:40 minutes playing with Dubois and the Kings only had seven goals for. He spent a total of 131:25 minutes playing with Moore and the Kings had 11 goals for. The GF% (goals for percentage) when Kaliyev was on the ice with Moore was 73.33% as opposed to only 53.85% when he was playing with Dubois.
The on-ice factors are one thing, but when a young player is consistently scratched and sat in the press box when things aren’t going as smoothly, it takes a toll on the mentality and steals confidence. it’s hard for younger players to get out of a rut when their main focus is worrying about being scratched.
Kaliyev has never been known for his ability to drive play and his skating is the weakest part of his game. He is great at finding open areas in the offensive zone and his release is lethal. He’s a natural sniper who doesn’t need that much time and space to get the puck off his stick. For a player like Kaliyev to be the most successful, he needs to be surrounded by fast skaters, players who can use their speed to reel in defenders and allow Kaliyev to find his opening in the offensive zone. Moore has some crazy speed so it’s no surprise the two of them were able to click so well.
Related Link: Analyzing the Kings’ Roster Heading Into 2024-25 Season
If Kaliyev were to be given another shot with the Kings, there are a few players who would give him the best chance at bouncing back and becoming a scoring threat the Kings desperately need more of throughout their lineup. Reuniting him with Danault and Moore would be an option since it seemed to work out for a bit last season.
Another option would be to put him on a line with Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala. Being able to play with a center like Byfield is just what Kaliyev needs to get his confidence back. Byfield’s exceptional skating and ability to gain entry into the offensive zone and transport the puck will pair well with Kaliyev’s finishing gift. Adding a speedy Fiala — who can also score and use his shiftiness to create space — would give Kaliyev everything he could ask for and the Kings their most-offensively-talented line. It’s important for the coaching staff and management to recognize what certain players need in order to be successful. Surrounding Kaliyev with high-end talent in a top-six role is the best way to see how much they can get out of him.
If that doesn’t work out then the argument to move on from him would be strong, but it’s too soon for the Kings to give up on a player like Kaliyev. With the production and progress he had in his first two seasons, the circumstances he had to endure last season, and the fact that the Kings need more goal scorers, there is no reason why he doesn’t deserve another shot.
