Kaliyev | GO KINGS GO

Arthur Kaliyev is set to Make NHL Debut Tonight

February 2, 2021February 16, 2021
by KT Nash

Let’s just say that it is time for the Arty Party to come to Los Angeles!

It is no secret that I have been a huge fan of Kaliyev since the Kings drafted him with the 33rd overall pick of the 2019 NHL entry draft. Kaliyev, with his raw offensive talent, should have never slipped to the second round simply due to his lack of defensive prowess. Nevertheless, thirty-one NHL teams, including the Kings, chose to pass on him in the first round. When he was still available for the Kings’ first second round pick, it became a no-brainer: the Uzbekistan-born, American-made winger was going to be a King.

Kaliyev’s premier skill is his shot. Although it is not always pretty, it is insane, and it always seems to find the back of the net. He has the natural scoring touch that simply cannot be taught. Need proof? Here is his slap shot at age six:

for all of you that are amazed by @Arthur_Kaliyev’s shot. this is him at 6 years old lmaoo pic.twitter.com/3Lpsh0PQcW
— Igor Larionov II (@Igor_LarionovII) January 6, 2021

Most six-year-olds are still learning how to shoot without falling, but Kaliyev was taking one-timers. Throughout his amateur career, his offensive ability and production continued to wow everyone. When he was playing with the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, presumably due to his amazing play, there was even a wild conspiracy theory that he was not a sixteen-year-old rookie. That season, he posted 48 points (31+17=48) in 68 games. In his sophomore campaign, he only continued to impress: he became only the thirteenth seventeen-year-old player in OHL history to score over 50 goals. The last person to complete the feat before him was 2008 first overall pick Steven Stamkos. This begs the question: how on earth was he a second round pick?

His defensive game is simply lackluster. Throughout his junior career, he struggled defensively. In two out of three seasons with the Bulldogs, he finished with a negative +/-, including a -17 during the 2019-2020 season. It is, however, important to mention that both times he represented the United States during the IIHF World Juniors tournament, in 2020 and 2021, he finished with a positive +/-. Perhaps he just has to be with the right line mates that have the ability to cover for him a bit defensively because his shot is too good to waste due to a lack of defensive talent. At the 2021 World Juniors Championship, Kings fans were able to see him win gold and play on a line alongside fellow Kings prospect Alex Turcotte. It is very possible that this pairing translates into two-thirds of a future NHL line. With Turcotte, Kaliyev’s lack of defense was simply not a problem: he finished the tournament with eight points (3+5=8), a +/- 9, and the coveted Gold Medal.

Tonight is a big night for Kaliyev and the very vocal group of Kings fans who believe in “playing the kids.” Personally, I have very excited to see him in a game or two, but I fully understand that the team is not ready to use up a year of his entry-level deal, so do not expect this stay to be permanent. Nevertheless, this is an exciting night. The future is bright, Kings fans!

Image Credit: www.theathletic.com

Prospects

Prospect Report: Arthur Kaliyev

June 7, 2020November 10, 2021
by KT Nash

When the Los Angeles Kings drafted Arthur Kaliyev with the thirty-third overall pick at the 2019 NHL Draft, NHL experts and Kings fans alike thought this pick was a steal, given that many presumed he would be taken in the first round. Many Kings fans were originally disappointed when they selected Tobias Björnfot over Kaliyev with the twenty-second overall pick that same year. However, time has proven that Rob Blake and the scouting staff carefully selected their picks, as the Kings were still able to claim Kaliyev.

As he was entering the NHL draft there was a strong consensus amongst scouts: he was an offensive machine who completely lacked defensive abilities. On most scouts’ lists, he was placed at the end of the first round as he had significant potential, but there was also a risk of him being a bust due to his lack of defense. He was a pure goal scorer at the junior level. In his first season with the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, Kaliyev posted and impressive 48 points (31+17=48) en route to an OHL championship.

In his second season, also his draft season, Kaliyev defied expectations with his offensive production: he had 102 points (51+51=102). With these numbers he became only the thirteenth player to score 50 goals at age 17. The last person before him to complete this feat was Steven Stamkos, so it is needless to say that he is joining good company.

While these offensive stats are virtually impeccable, there is a reason that he slipped to the second round. His skating was not impressive and he simply could not play defense. The OHL is a more offensively focused league but, although he posted extremely impressive offensive stats, Kaliyev had a plus/minus of -13 in his draft year.

That brings us to the 2019 NHL draft. Although there was a consensus amongst scouts and NHL experts regarding his strengths and weaknesses, there was absolutely no consensus on when in the draft he would be picked. Some thought he would go in the middle of he first round, whilst others believed he would be chosen at the end of the first round or the beginning of the second round. The latter was true as the Los Angeles selected him with the thirty-third overall pick in the second round. This was an exciting pick: he has the ability to become a pure goal scorer at the NHL level.

It has now been approximately one year since Kaliyev was first drafted. He had another stellar season with the Hamilton Bulldogs, scoring 98 points (44+54=98) in the shortened season. The increase of assists demonstrates that he can also play a passing position, instead of being a pure goal scorer. His plus/minus also improved significantly: he was at a -7. This is not great, but it is a significant improvement from his prior season, especially when considering how offensively minded the OHL is. Kaliyev was awarded the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the top-scoring right winger in the OHL this year. He has also been named a finalist for the Red Tilson Trophy which is awarded to the OHL’s most outstanding player.

Some highlights of this season include Kaliyev’s four-goal game and him setting the Bulldog’s all-time record of goals (126) and points (248). He also represented the United States at the IIHF World Juniors tournament scoring 6 points (4+2=6) in 5 games. He had a plus/minus of 4, which is extremely uplifting news to Kings fans. The World Juniors tournament is a better replication the style of NHL play than major juniors as it is only the best of the best. There is hope that his defensive abilities will be sufficient at the NHL level.

Last week, the Los Angeles Kings signed Kaliyev to a three-year, entry-level contract, making him eligible to play with the team next season. However, Kaliyev is still extremely young as he is only 18. He can still play another full season with Hamilton without causing them to use one of their three “overage” players (those who are 20 or older). In addition, it would allow the Kings to not waste a year of his contract with him still developing and probably only playing part time in the NHL as he would not be eligible to play in the AHL. He is promising enough where he will probably be able to jump straight to the NHL, especially with a young Kings team, upon completing another season in the OHL.

Personally, I believe that he has already demonstrated growth defensively, although possibly not enough to be ready to play in the NHL. I think his lack of defense at the time of his draft can be attributed to his age: he was only 17 when he was drafted. There was and is still a lot room for him to grow and acquire a better defensive game and he has already demonstrated improvement. It is entirely possible that he receives a 10 game try-out at the NHL level next season in order to see how he fares before completing one more year in the OHL to fully prepare for an NHL role in the 2021-2022 season.

He has the opportunity to be a pure goal-scorer at the NHL level and this is something that the Kings have completely lacked in the past decade. Although his defense may pose a problem, I do not believe that it will stifle him to the point where he cannot be an effective NHL player, even potentially a star, if he reaches his ceiling. He will likely play significant time on the power play, utilizing his amazing shot, and in 5-on-5 situations where the team is looking for a go-ahead or an insurance goal at the beginning of his career and this position will hopefully evolve over time into him becoming a core player.

Kaliyev is one of the prospects that I am the most excited about. I look forward to seeing what his offensive ability can do in order to help a team that has been historically starved for goals.