Kaliyev: A return to the lineup or the press box?

What happens when a player is drafted?

An organization scouts and selects a player based on what the player can bring to the organization in the near and distant future. The later the draft position, the more likely the player will encounter growing pains in their journey to be that ‘complete’ hockey player. Historically, teams will pass on those pitfalls.

It begs the question, what was the plan for drafting Arthur Kaliyev, and what is the current plan when he returns to the LA Kings?

Kaliyev is a pure goal scorer, with a rocket of a shot that can hurt you in a variety of ways. There is not another player on the Kings roster that has this same ability. Kaliyev is deadly from a standstill position, something many players in the league cannot do. He can be even deadlier in motion.

Listen to Ray Ferraro’s breakdown below:

Kaliyev does it again but on a catch and release here:

Take Adrian Kempe, who has scored 30 and 40 goals in his career. He is a fantastic goal scorer off the rush, combining his speed with shot accuracy to beat NHL goaltenders. Kaliyev doesn’t need speed to beat NHL-caliber goaltenders.

Like Kempe, Kaliyev can post up on a powerplay as a one-time option that spreads the penalty kill out. The problem for Kaliyev is that almost the majority of his career goals have been produced on the man’s advantage (17/35), earning him the unfair reputation as a “powerplay specialist”.

In reality, Kaliyev has never gotten a lengthy look in the top six to display his full skillset at even strength.

The Danault and Moore duo broke out as a permanent pair. Quinton Byfield looked dominant next to Anze Kopitar and Kempe, and the Kings acquired proven wingers in Viktor Arvidsson and Kevin Fiala.

The top nine, let alone the top six, became as airtight as possible for a forward drafted to score.

The Staten Island native was sent to a place where creativity dies. He’s been stifled in the bottom six, or mostly, on the fourth line most of his NHL career. Even then, in 2022-23 he formed an excellent trio with Blake Lizotte and Brendan Lemieux: in 51:54, they carried a 61.29% Corsi and outshot the opposition 30-17.

That line didn’t last forever, and Kaliyev’s relationship with the franchise soured over time. Healthy scratches and a demand for trade don’t bode well for a fruitful relationship. It seemed like the first pure goal scorer the Kings had drafted since Tyler Toffoli was on his way out.

However, Rob Blake and the company have not moved Kaliyev, and he went into training camp on a mission to have a renewed experience in Los Angeles, after signing a one-year 825k deal. Unfortunately for Kaliyev, he broke his clavicle just days after the signing.

Blake put his timeline at 6-8 weeks, putting his return somewhere in late November.

Kaliyev has been skating intermittently, but the question still looms: Where does he go from here?

Unless things have dramatically changed in one off-season, Kaliyev is still best suited for a scoring role–the same role he was in when the Kings drafted him, warts and all.

As mentioned before, the top nine for the Kings is practically set. Fiala is holding down the only position in which Kaliyev has proven to succeed. Next to Moore and Danault, Kaliyev flourished.

Throughout his career next to those two, that line as a whole, dominated competition. In 130:30 minutes together, the line had a 60.54% Corsi, outshot the opposition 104-66 and outscored them 13-4. This was derailed once the Kings failed to forge together the union of Fiala and Pierre Luc Dubois.

The Kings are unlikely to break up Danault-Moore-Fiala. They should continue building the chemistry Byfield has formed playing next to Warren Foegele and Alex Laferriere (Byfield making his mark at center should be a top priority for the organization this year).

The solution? If Kaliyev can be a winger next to Alex Turcotte, they can reunite the gold medal-winning duo from the United State’s top line from the 2019 World Junior Championship.

Patriotic stoicism aside, that might be the best option for Kaliyev to find a home and stay in the lineup. Throw in a Tanner Jeannot, and you have protection for Turcotte and some ruggedness Kaliyev thrived with when playing with Lemieux.

There’s always give and take in this league.

Given the current makeup of the LA lineup, someone has to come out. The question is whether that is Samuel Helenius, Andre Lee (contingent upon return), or Akil Thomas. The Kings organization has proven unwilling to remove Trevor Lewis from the lineup since his reunion.

There simply isn’t an easy option to remove a player and plug-in Kaliyev. Even if he boosts a dry second powerplay unit, the Kings stand to lose a player who desperately needs consistent NHL time just to fit Kaliyev in.

Is it time for Fiala to finally click on the top line long-term, allowing Kaliyev to reunite with Danault and Moore? Or is it fated for Kaliyev to get healthy, just to be a healthy scratch?