Arthur Kaliyev's Days As An LA King Are Done

He was a trade candidate back at the NHL Draft in June after expressing his unhappiness with the Los Angeles Kings, but no move was made for disappointing former second-round pick Arthur Kaliyev. An injury at training camp forced his season to be delayed, and he recently spent a five-game conditioning stint with the AHL's Ontario Reign.

But now it appears that the Kings don't see a future at all for Kaliyev in LA, and they've placed him on waivers.

Kings place Arthur Kaliyev on waivers. pic.twitter.com/OJj2G4iE5d
— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) January 5, 2025

With a one-year, minimum-salary contract, it's quite possible that teams around the league could put in a claim and take a chance on a player who had a nice start to his career in his first two NHL seasons.

He was even ranked in the Top 25 prospects in the league heading into the 2021-22 season, a year in which he scored 14 goals in 80 games in only 12:29 of average ice time. 2022-23 showed even more potential at times, when he recorded 13 goals in just 56 games, however, a broken foot derailed him for the latter part of the season and he finished the year on a sour note.

But last year was a disaster, as he found the net just seven times in 51 games, and was a healthy scratch on many occasions.

And while the Kings could send him back to the AHL if he isn't claimed, his placement on waivers likely signals the end of his days in Los Angeles.