Training Camp Cuts: 9/29/24
With just five days to go until the NHL’s first regular-season games for 2024-25, the rate of training camp cuts is speeding up. More players are beginning to land on waivers, while waiver-exempt fringe players are heading to teams’ AHL affiliates en masse. As always, we’ll keep track of Sunday’s cuts in this article.
Last updated 1:52 p.m. Monday
Anaheim Ducks (per team release)
F Judd Caulfield (to AHL San Diego)
F Ruslan Gazizov (released from PTO to AHL San Diego)
D Dillon Heatherington (released from PTO to AHL San Diego)
D Tyson Hinds (to AHL San Diego)
F Travis Howe (released from PTO to AHL San Diego)
F Josh Lopina (to AHL San Diego)
F Nico Myatovic (to AHL San Diego)
D Roland McKeown (released from PTO to AHL San Diego)
F Sasha Pastujov (to AHL San Diego)
F Coulson Pitre (to AHL San Diego)
D Konnor Smith (to AHL San Diego)
F Jaxsen Wiebe (to AHL San Diego)
Boston Bruins (per team release)
F Joey Abate (assigned to AHL Providence)
D Drew Bavaro (assigned to AHL Providence)
G Ryan Bischel (assigned to AHL Providence)
D Frederic Brunet (assigned to AHL Providence)
D Michael Callahan (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Riley Duran (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Trevor Kuntar (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Fabian Lysell (assigned to AHL Providence)
G Nolan Maier (assigned to AHL Providence)
D Ryan Mast (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Adam Mechura (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Georgii Merkulov (assigned to AHL Providence)
D Mason Millman (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Jaxon Nelson (assigned to AHL Providence)
Calgary Flames (per team release)
F Clark Bishop (assigned to AHL Calgary)
D Jonathan Aspirot (assigned to AHL Calgary)
Chicago Blackhawks (per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope)
F Colton Dach (to AHL Rockford)
D Ethan Del Mastro (to AHL Rockford)
F Cole Guttman (to AHL Rockford)
F Ryder Rolston (to AHL Rockford)
F Samuel Savoie (to AHL Rockford)
F Landon Slaggert (to AHL Rockford)
Colorado Avalanche (per team release)
F Chase Bradley (to AHL Colorado)
F Tye Felhaber (released from PTO to AHL Colorado)
D Jacob MacDonald (to AHL Colorado) pending waivers
F Oskar Olausson (to AHL Colorado)
F Nikita Prishchepov (to AHL Colorado)
Edmonton Oilers (per Sportsnet’s Mark Spector)
F Sam O’Reilly (assigned to OHL London)
F Matthew Savoie (assigned to AHL Bakersfield)
F Seth Griffith (released from PTO to AHL Bakersfield)
Los Angeles Kings (per team releases)
F Martin Chromiak (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Aatu Jamsen (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Kaleb Lawrence (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Francesco Pinelli (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Koehn Ziemmer (assigned to AHL Ontario)
D Angus Booth (assigned to AHL Ontario)
D Jakub Dvorak (assigned to AHL Ontario)
G Erik Portillo (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Bryce Brodzinski (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Jacob Doty (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Shawn Element (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Charles Hudon (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Patrick Moynihan (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Quinn Olson (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Jake Wise (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
D Parker Berge (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
D Dru Krebs (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
D Jack Millar (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
D Luke Rowe (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
Nashville Predators (per team release)
F Anthony Angello (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Easton Armstrong (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
F Alexander Campbell (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
G Magnus Chrona (to AHL Milwaukee)
G Drew DeRidder (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
F Jordan Frasca (to AHL Milwaukee)
D Kevin Gravel (to AHL Milwaukee)
G Ethan Haider (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
D Jeremy Hanzel (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Kale Howarth (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
D Lucas Johansen (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
F Joakim Kemell (to AHL Milwaukee)
D Jake Livingstone (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Jake Lucchini (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Kyle Marino (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
D Jack Matier (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Navrin Mutter (to AHL Milwaukee)
D Chad Nychuk (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
F Cal O’Reilly (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
D Luke Prokop (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Reid Schaefer (to AHL Milwaukee)
D Ryan Ufko (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Kevin Wall (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
New York Islanders (per Newsday’s Andrew Gross)
F William Dufour (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Aidan Fulp (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Marc Gatcomb (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Isaiah George (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Alex Jefferies (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Eetu Liukas (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Matthew Maggio (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Travis Mitchell (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Calle Odelius (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Cam Thiesing (to AHL Bridgeport)
G Henrik Tikkanen (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Marshall Warren (to AHL Bridgeport)
Philadelphia Flyers (per team announcement)
G Eetu Mäkiniemi (to AHL Lehigh Valley)
San Jose Sharks (per team release)
F Mitchell Russell (to AHL San Jose)
F Lucas Vanroboys (to AHL San Jose)
F Anthony Vincent (to AHL San Jose)
D Artem Guryev (to AHL San Jose)
D Braden Hache (to AHL San Jose)
D Valtteri Pulli (to AHL San Jose)
D Joey Keane (to AHL San Jose)
St. Louis Blues (per team release)
D Jérémie Biakabutuka (to AHL Springfield)
D Michael Buchinger (to AHL Springfield)
G Will Cranley (to AHL Springfield)
F Tanner Dickinson (to AHL Springfield)
F Antoine Dorion (to QMJHL Québec)
F Dalibor Dvorský (to AHL Springfield)
G Colten Ellis (to AHL Springfield)
D Marc-Andre Gaudet (to AHL Springfield)
D Samuel Johannesson (to AHL Springfield)
F Aleksanteri Kaskimäki (to AHL Springfield)
D Leo Lööf (to AHL Springfield)
D Anton Malmström (to AHL Springfield)
F Dylan Peterson (to AHL Springfield)
F Marcus Sylvegård (to AHL Springfield)
Tampa Bay Lightning (per Bally Sports Florida’s Gabby Shirley)
F Dylan Duke (to AHL Syracuse)
F Gabriel Dumont (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
F Jaydon Dureau (to AHL Syracuse)
F Lucas Edmonds (to AHL Syracuse)
G Ryan Fanti (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
D Tyson Feist (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
D Dyllan Gill (to AHL Syracuse)
G Brandon Halverson (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
F Niko Huuhtanen (to AHL Syracuse)
F Kale Kessy (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
F Jujhar Khaira (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
F Milo Roelens (to AHL Syracuse)
D Roman Schmidt (to AHL Syracuse)
F Lukas Svejkovsky (to AHL Syracuse)
F Gabriel Szturc (to AHL Syracuse)
F Joel Teasdale (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
F Daniel Walcott (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
D Scott Walford (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
Vancouver Canucks (per team announcement)
F Tristen Nielsen (assigned to AHL Abbotsford)
F Danila Klimovich (assigned to AHL Abbotsford)
G Ty Young (assigned to AHL Abbotsford)
F Chase Wouters (released from PTO to AHL Abbotsford)
F Vilmer Alriksson (assigned to OHL Guelph)
Washington Capitals (per team announcement)
D Logan Day (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Pierrick Dube (to AHL Hershey)
F Zac Funk (to AHL Hershey)
G Mitchell Gibson (to AHL Hershey)
D Vincent Iorio (to AHL Hershey)
D Nicky Leivermann (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
D Jake Massie (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
D Jon McDonald (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Luke Philp (to AHL Hershey) injured, pending waivers
F Ilya Protas (to OHL Windsor)
F Henrik Rybinski (to AHL Hershey)
F Spencer Smallman (to AHL Hershey) injured, pending waivers
G Clay Stevenson (to AHL Hershey)
F Alexander Suzdalev (to AHL Hershey)
F Bogdan Trineyev (to AHL Hershey)
Winnipeg Jets (per the team’s Mitchell Clinton)
F Colby Barlow (to OHL Owen Sound)
G Domenic DiVincentiis (to AHL Manitoba)
F Parker Ford (to AHL Manitoba)
F Daniel Torgersson (to AHL Manitoba)
F Brayden Yager (to WHL Moose Jaw)
Waiver Wire: 9/29/24
The hockey world is one week closer to the start of the regular season, with October rolling around in just a few days. That’s sparked a flurry of decisive roster cuts as teams finalize their roster or – in the case of teams like Buffalo, New Jersey, and New York – prepare for trips overseas. As always, we’ll track the day’s waiver placements here.
Boston Bruins (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
F Marc McLaughlin (assigned to AHL Providence)
Calgary Flames (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
F Martin Frk (assigned to AHL Calgary)
F Justin Kirkland (assigned to AHL Calgary)
Chicago Blackhawks (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
F Zach Sanford (assigned to AHL Rockford)
F Brett Seney (assigned to AHL Rockford)
Edmonton Oilers (per Sportsnet’s Mark Spector)
D Cam Dineen (assigned to AHL Bakersfield)
D Connor Carrick (assigned to AHL Bakersfield)
Los Angeles Kings (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
F Glenn Gawdin (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Tyler Madden (assigned to AHL Ontario)
D Joe Hicketts (assigned to AHL Ontario)
D Reilly Walsh (assigned to AHL Ontario)
Minnesota Wild (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
F Adam Raska (assigned to AHL Iowa)
D Cameron Crotty (assigned to AHL Iowa)
D Joseph Cecconi (assigned to AHL Iowa)
Montreal Canadiens (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
F Lucas Condotta (assigned to AHL Laval)
F Brandon Gignac (assigned to AHL Laval)
Nashville Predators (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
F Kieffer Bellows (assigned to AHL Milwaukee)
F Vinnie Hinostroza (assigned to AHL Milwaukee)
G Matt Murray (assigned to AHL Milwaukee)
St. Louis Blues (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
F Mathias Laferriere (assigned to AHL Springfield)
F Mackenzie MacEachern (assigned to AHL Springfield)
F Hugh McGing (assigned to AHL Springfield)
D Hunter Skinner (assigned to AHL Springfield)
Tampa Bay Lightning (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
D Tobie Paquette-Bisson (assigned to AHL Syracuse)
D Derrick Pouliot (assigned to AHL Syracuse)
Drew Doughty Injury Fallout
There’s been plenty of fallout in Los Angeles after the announcement that Kings’ defenseman Drew Doughty would be out for a few months after undergoing surgery to repair his fractured ankle. Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period reported on plenty of it with the most important piece being that the Kings don’t have a timeline on Doughty’s return but it will not be a season-ending injury.
Los Angeles is going through a major change particularly on the right side of their defense with Doughty’s injury and defenseman Matt Roy leaving via unrestricted free agency to join the Washington Capitals. Bernstein shares that prospect Brandt Clarke is ‘ready’ to take on a top-four role with the Kings this season but he will have to earn it according to head coach Jim Hiller.
Drew Doughty Out Month-To-Month After Ankle Surgery
9/27: The Kings announced today that Doughty underwent surgery to repair his ankle fracture and will be out month-to-month. No further damage was found in the medical imaging.
9/26: Kings star defenseman Drew Doughty sustained a left ankle injury during Wednesday’s 3-2 preseason win over the Golden Knights, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports.
An “initial quick x-ray” showed a fracture in the ankle, Seravalli said, with additional imaging set to occur Thursday. Doughty left the contest early in the first period and did not return after falling awkwardly while colliding with Golden Knights winger Tanner Pearson, causing his left foot to jam into the boards.
There’s no timeline for Doughty’s return yet. If there’s no additional structural damage to his ankle on top of the fracture, his recovery window will likely be set in the six-to-10-week range, according to the Mount Sinai Health System.
That recovery period would delay Doughty’s 2024-25 regular season debut until early November, if not later. If so, he’d miss around the first 15 games of Los Angeles’ season, if not more.
It’s a tough break for the 34-year-old, who’s enjoyed a late-career resurgence over the past couple of seasons. The 2008 second-overall pick has rediscovered his two-way game after a significant decline in play around the pandemic, rebounding for back-to-back seasons above the 50-point plateau with good possession impacts. He played in all 82 games last year and scored 15 goals, the second-most of his 16-year NHL career, and finished 11th in Norris Trophy voting.
Doughty last missed significant time in the 2021-22 season. Knee and wrist injuries limited him to 37 games and kept him out of postseason play. They cut short one of his best campaigns – with 31 points, he was on pace for a career-high of 65 had he stayed healthy.
For the Kings, it’s a huge blow to a right defense that already lost second-pairing fixture Matt Roy to the Capitals in free agency last offseason. They do have a pair of promising right-shot youngsters, though, in Brandt Clarke and Jordan Spence.
Spence, now 23, made his NHL debut in Doughty’s stead during his injury-plagued 2021-22 campaign. He averaged 19:45 per game down the stretch of the regular season, posting eight points in 24 contests.
Since then, he’s developed into a high-end third-pairing defender. He emerged as a full-time NHLer last season, finishing third among Kings defensemen in scoring with 24 points (2 G, 22 A) in 71 games with a +5 rating while averaging 14:26 per game. He was expected to take over Roy’s spot alongside Vladislav Gavrikov on the team’s second pair, but he might need to play spot duty on the top pair alongside Mikey Anderson with Doughty now set to miss time.
They have a higher-upside yet less experienced option in Clarke. The 21-year-old was selected eighth overall in the 2021 draft and his still working his way toward becoming a full-timer NHLer, a feat he was expected to accomplish this season. He’ll definitely do so now, as he and Spence now project to be the Kings’ top two right-shot defenders to begin the season. He was one of the AHL’s best defensemen last season, posting 46 points in 50 games with the Ontario Reign. He also had six points in 16 games of NHL duty for the Kings but was used sparingly, averaging only 13:39 per game.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Training Camp Cuts: 9/26/24
With less than two weeks to go until the regular season, most teams have made their initial cuts to their training camp roster. Roster moves will continue Thursday, with players still being released from tryouts and returned to their junior teams. As always, we’ll keep track of all of today’s moves here.
Last updated 3:22 p.m.
Calgary Flames (per team announcement)
F Andrew Basha (to WHL Medicine Hat)
F Matvei Gridin (to QMJHL Shawinigan)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team announcement)
F Luca Pinelli (to OHL Ottawa)
Edmonton Oilers (per team release)
F Ethan de Jong (released from PTO to AHL Bakersfield)
D Noel Hoefenmayer (to AHL Bakersfield)
D Maximus Wanner (to AHL Bakersfield)
Los Angeles Kings (per team release)
F Arvid Caderoth (released from ATO to ECHL Greenville)
G Carter George (to OHL Owen Sound)
F Liam Greentree (to OHL Windsor)
D Matthew Mania (to OHL Flint)
D Jared Woolley (to OHL London)
Nashville Predators (per team release)
D Andrew Gibson (to OHL Soo)
F Hiroki Gojsic (to WHL Kelowna)
Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)
F Raivis Ansons (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Jack Beck (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
D Isaac Belliveau (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
D Scooter Brickey (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Atley Calvert (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Mathieu De St. Phalle (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Sam Houde (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Gabe Klassen (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
D Justin Lee (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
D Mats Lindgren (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Bennett MacArthur (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Logan Pietila (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
G Luke Richardson (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
D Philip Waugh (released from PTO to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
St. Louis Blues (per team release)
F Sam Bitten (released from PTO to AHL Springfield)
D Scott Harrington (released from PTO to AHL Springfield)
F Matthew Peca (released from PTO to AHL Springfield)
Training Camp Cuts: 9/23/24
Training camp cuts continue Monday across the league, mostly involving fringe prospects being returned to their junior teams. As always, we’re keeping track of today’s moves with this article, which will be updated throughout the day.
Colorado Avalanche (per team announcement)
F Chad Hillebrand (released from PTO to AHL Colorado)
D Devante Stephens (released from PTO to AHL Colorado)
D Saige Weinstein (to WHL Spokane)
Los Angeles Kings (per team announcement)
F Cole Davis (released from ATO to OHL Windsor)
F Ethan Neutens (released from ATO to WHL Kelowna)
F Oliver Tulk (released from ATO to WHL Calgary)
D Corbin Vaughan (released from ATO to WHL Regina)
F Luke Woodworth (released from ATO to QMJHL Drummondville)
Nashville Predators (per team announcement)
F Kalan Lind (to WHL Red Deer)
D Dylan MacKinnon (to QMJHL Moncton)
F Miguel Marques (to WHL Lethbridge)
G Jakub Milota (to QMJHL Cape Breton)
F Joey Willis (to OHL Saginaw)
New York Rangers (per team announcement)
G Hugo Ollas (to AHL Hartford)
Ottawa Senators (per team announcement)
D Matthew Andonovski (to OHL Kitchener)
F Lucas Ellinas (to OHL Kitchener)
D Gabriel Eliasson (to SHL HV71)
D Filip Nordberg (to USHL Sioux Falls)
San Jose Sharks (per Max Miller of The Hockey News/NHL.com)
D Jérémie Bucheler (released from PTO to AHL San Jose)
F Nolan Burke (to AHL San Jose)
F Joe Carroll (released from PTO to AHL San Jose)
G Dawson Cowan (released from ATO to WHL Spokane)
G Aaron Dell (released from PTO to AHL San Jose) – per Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group
F Luke Grainger (released from PTO to AHL San Jose)
D Gannon Laroque (to AHL San Jose)
F Ivan Lodnia (released from PTO)
D Nate Misskey (to WHL Victoria)
F Nathan Pilling (released from ATO to WHL Victoria)
D Colton Roberts (to WHL Vancouver)
F Donavan Villeneuve-Houle (released from PTO to AHL San Jose)
F Carson Wetsch (to WHL Calgary)
Seattle Kraken (per team announcement)
D Alexis Bernier (to QMJHL Baie-Comeau)
F Clarke Caswell (to WHL Swift Current)
D Lukas Dragicevic (to WHL Prince Albert)
D Jakub Fibigr (to OHL Brampton)
D Kaden Hammell (to WHL Everett)
F Ollie Josephson (to WHL Red Deer)
D Tyson Jugnauth (to WHL Portland)
F Andrei Loshko (to OHL Niagara)
F Julius Miettinen (to WHL Everett)
D Caden Price (to WHL Kelowna)
Vegas Golden Knights (per team announcement)
F Mikael Huchette (to USports Concordia)
D Viliam Kmec (to WHL Prince George)
D Mazden Leslie (to WHL Vancouver)
F Jacob Mathieu (to QMJHL Rimouski)
F Shane Smith (to WHL Medicine Hat)
F Tuomas Uronen (to OHL Kingston)
Kings May Be On The Hunt For A Fourth Line Center
Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff is hoping that defenseman Rasmus Dahlin will be able to join the team at practice tomorrow in a non-contact capacity (as per Bill Hoppe of the Times Herald). The former first-overall pick left just a few minutes into the Sabres first practice last week and has not skated with the team since. Dahlin skated this morning before the team did and does appear ready to take the next step in his short recovery.
The Sabres will likely compete for a playoff spot this season and will need a healthy Dahlin in order to have a chance. The 24-year-old has been remarkably durable during his six-year NHL career, only missing seven games over the past four seasons and just 17 games during his entire NHL career.
In other evening notes:
- The Los Angeles Kings could be on the hunt for some help on their fourth line (as per Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period). The Kings don’t currently have a fourth-line center set in stone and have been rotating different options through that spot thus far in training camp. Bernstein wonders if Kings general manager Rob Blake will begin to search the market to see if there is a player that could be brought in. Bernstein doesn’t specify whether that could be the trade market or one of the current free agents on a PTO, but it looks as though the Kings aren’t comfortable with any of their internal options for the role.
- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke to the media today and poured cold water on the rumors that the NHL is looking at expansion (as per Adam Laskaris of Daily Hive Toronto). Bettman called the rumors “categorically false,” and said that the NHL is not looking to expand at the moment. Bettman did concede that he would be updating the NHL’s Board of Governors on the cities that have expressed interest in getting an NHL team, but beyond that, there would be no further action at this time.
Kings’ Arthur Kaliyev Out Indefinitely With Broken Clavicle
9/22: The manager of editorial content for the Kings, Zach Dooley, shares that Kaliyev suffered a broken clavicle on Friday and will be out indefinitely.
9/21: Kings winger Arthur Kaliyev is expected to miss “an extended period of time” after sustaining an upper-body injury during a scrimmage Friday, Mayor’s Manor reports. An official announcement from the team is expected later Saturday after Kaliyev went through further testing to diagnose the injury this morning.
Kaliyev, 23, left yesterday’s scrimmage after taking a hit in the corner from defenseman Kyle Burroughs. He’d started training camp in a fourth-line role alongside Trevor Lewis and Akil Thomas.
The 2019 second-round pick was a restricted free agent for most of the offseason, officially putting pen to paper on a one-year deal worth $825K on Wednesday. He’s had an active trade request since at least May, as reported by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
Signing the cheap deal should have benefitted Kaliyev in one of two ways – either by giving him the runway to prove to head coach Jim Hiller that he can handle a full-time top-nine role or by making it easier for general manager Rob Blake to find a trade partner with cost certainty for this season in hand. A long-term injury puts a significant damper on either of those possibilities.
The Uzbekistan-born winger is coming off his worst season as a full-time NHLer, recording career lows across the board with 15 points (7 G, 8 A) in 51 games. Despite seeing fourth-line minutes at even strength and fringe second-unit power-play time throughout his four-year career, Kaliyev has still managed at least 100 shots on goal in his three full-time NHL seasons.
Kaliyev has also consistently managed strong shot-attempt and possession-quality numbers. He was also on pace for 41 points had he played all 82 games in the 2022-23 season despite playing just 11:41 per game.
That’s led many to question why he hasn’t received a longer look higher in the Los Angeles lineup. If his trade request wasn’t granted by the start of the season, there was ample opportunity for him to land a top-nine role at left wing, with his offensive upside trumping that of youngster Alex Laferriere and trade addition Tanner Jeannot.
Instead, it looks like he’ll start the season on the shelf for the second straight year. Kaliyev was unavailable for the first two games of the 2023-24 regular season while serving the final two games of a four-game suspension he received during preseason.
Kaliyev’s absence bodes well for fellow 2019 draftee Alex Turcotte‘s chances of cracking the opening night roster. That year’s fifth overall pick took his place alongside Lewis and Thomas in fourth-line duties today. He played a career-high 20 games last season after a late-season call-up from the AHL’s Ontario Reign, posting a goal and three assists for four points while averaging 9:17 per game.
Kings, Arthur Kaliyev In Agreement On One-Year Deal
Sep. 18: It’s a one-way deal worth $825K, John Hoven of Mayor’s Manor reports.
Sep. 17: The Kings and restricted free agent winger Arthur Kaliyev are in agreement “in principle” on a one-year deal close to his $874,125 qualifying offer, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports Tuesday. It has no bearing on Kaliyev’s trade request which has been active since at least May, Pagnotta adds.
The deal puts Kaliyev in a similar situation to Maple Leafs winger Nicholas Robertson. The 23-year-old was also an RFA with an active trade request this summer but opted to sign a one-year, $875K deal last week, giving teams interested in acquiring him some cost certainty.
But unlike Robertson, Kaliyev is coming off a down year, not a breakout one. The American national was limited to seven goals and 15 points in 51 games after hitting double-digit goal totals in each of the previous two seasons.
Kaliyev does still have a bit of room to grow at age 23. The 2019 second-rounder doesn’t use his 6’2″, 209-lb frame to get involved physically and can have some visible defensive lapses, but his possession numbers at even strength haven’t been a cause for concern at any point of his career thus far, even when compared directly to his teammates.
The Uzbekistan native has averaged 15 goals and 31 points per 82 games through his career. That’s impressive production for a player who’s averaged just over 12 minutes per game and doesn’t have a terribly high career shooting percentage (8.4%). He’s a chance-generating machine who averages 2.23 shots per game – sixth-most among Kings forwards with at least 100 games played in an L.A. jersey over the past three years.
There’s legitimate reason to believe a move to a top-nine role elsewhere could generate a 20-goal, 40-point breakout for Kaliyev – or more. It’s been mostly quiet on the trade front up to this point, but with a contract in hand, he could very well find himself on the move during training camp.
Rookie Notes: Clarke, Cristall, Barkey, Tuomaala
The start of NHL rookie camps is bringing a boost of motivation out of the league’s next-up, felt most by top Los Angeles Kings prospect Brandt Clarke, who shared with Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period that he’s pushing for more than an NHL spot. Clarke told Bernstein, “[My own] expectations are higher than anyone could put on me. I expect the best of myself…..I want to be great. I want to be a key contributor on the team….. I told my dad this year, my goal isn’t just to make the NHL, it’s to excel in the NHL.”
Those are proud words from one of the top defensive prospects across the NHL. Clarke played through his first pro season last year, recording 46 points in 50 AHL appearances, and adding six points in his first 16 NHL games. He posted the highest production from a rookie AHL defender since Kings teammate Jordan Spence posted 42 points in 46 games in 2021. But Clarke’s ability to command the #1-lineup role in the midst of that scoring is what’s made him stand out. He should get a chance to work into a top-line and special-teams with L.A. this season, and seems ready to take the chance in stride.
Other notes from the prospect world:
- Top Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall has his eyes similarly set on the NHL roster, telling Sammi Silber of The Hockey News that his goal is, “obviously to make the team… I’m checking the boxes pretty well.” Cristall played through his final year of juniors hockey last year, finally breaking the century-scoring mark (111 points in 62 games, to be exact) after years of chasing it. He finishes his four-year WHL career with 280 points in 191 games, though many have criticized his chances of translating that scoring to the pro flight. He’ll stand a chance to prove his doubters wrong by earning a spot on the opening day lineup.
- Philadelphia Flyers winger Denver Barkey is sitting out of camp activities to start this week, with Jordan Hall of NBCS Philly sharing the prospect is dealing with illness. Barkey – whose position was swapped from LW to RW this camp – skated through the early part of rookie camp, and isn’t expected to miss a large chunk of time. He’s coming off a premier year in the OHL, recording 35 goals and 102 points in 64 games with the OHL-champions London Knights. Barkey is a high-energy, undersized winger who’s shown the drive to jump to the next level. He’ll continue fighting to take that step when he’s healthy again, though Barkey does have one more year of OHL eligibility available.
- Fellow Flyers wing prospect Samu Tuomaala is also out of action, described as “just a little banged up” by Jordan Hall. He’s also been an early standout of rookie camp, playing in both games so far and scoring the OT-winner in Philadelphia’s Saturday matchup. Hall adds that Tuomaala seemed fine in postgame interviews, suggesting that Philadelphia could be taking an abundance of caution with their up-and-comers. Tuomaala played through an impactful AHL rookie season last year, netting 43 points in 69 games. That should position him as one of the top minor-league options headed into the new year.