Kings May Non-Tender Carl Grundstrom, Arthur Kaliyev
Each year, the unrestricted free agent market always has a few late additions, thanks to teams opting not to issue qualifying offers to retain the rights of some of their restricted free agents. We’re starting to get an idea of who some of those names could be, as Eric Stephens of The Athletic wrote earlier this week that the Kings are unlikely to bring pending RFA wingers Carl Grundström and Arthur Kaliyev back next season.
To see the organization cut bait entirely with Kaliyev would be slightly surprising. The 22-year-old was one of the first picks of the second round in the 2019 draft, and he’d been a capable depth scorer for the Kings in back-to-back years heading into this season.
But the Uzbekistan-born American national struggled mightily in his junior campaign, limited to seven goals and 15 points in 51 games. Again, he failed to earn anything above a fourth-line role, averaging fewer than 12 minutes per game for the second year in a row.
Kaliyev was scratched for most of the second half of the campaign and, as Stephens points out, only played in 13 of the final 34 games of the regular season after Jim Hiller took over behind the bench. With Hiller signing a multi-year extension, there’s little hope of the offensively-minded Kaliyev providing much value to the Kings in a limited role with a fractured relationship with the coach. Stephens also seconded mid-season noise that Kaliyev was on the trade block.
They could still trade his signing rights and recoup a draft pick for them, but they’re unlikely to land much if teams gain the sense that he’ll end up on the open market regardless. He’s not eligible for salary arbitration this summer after completing his entry-level contract.
Grundström, meanwhile, is arbitration-eligible, something that could dissuade the Kings from issuing him a qualifying offer, Stephens said. The 26-year-old has been a serviceable checking fourth-liner for the club since arriving via trade from the Maple Leafs in 2019 but missed a solid chunk of this season due to injury. When in the lineup, he contributed eight goals and 12 points in 50 games while averaging 10:56 per game.
The Swedish winger was signed to a two-year deal with a $1.3MM AAV, though, which carries an equivalently expensive $1.3MM qualifying offer on a one-year deal. It wouldn’t be a drastic overpay for his services, but the Kings likely (and rightfully) feel they could save a little bit of cap space by replacing his role on the open market with a player making closer to the $775K league minimum.
L.A. has $19.9MM in projected cap space this summer with 10 open roster spots as they try and push themselves into the upper echelon of the Pacific Division, per CapFriendly. A decent chunk of that will go to pending RFA Quinton Byfield, coming off a breakout 20-goal, 55-point season.
Kings Activate Carl Grundstrom From LTIR
The Kings activated winger Carl Grundström off long-term injured reserve ahead of tonight’s Game 1 of their first-round series against the Oilers. The 26-year-old’s return to the lineup means no Kings skaters are carrying an injury designation for the first time all season.
Grundström, a second-round pick of the Maple Leafs back in 2016, has grown into a solid checking winger since a January 2019 trade sent him packing to Los Angeles. Now in his sixth year with the club, the Swede has been almost exclusively a fourth-line presence in SoCal, averaging 11:33 per game. He’s provided eight goals and 12 points in 50 games this season, the totals we’ve come to expect.
He’s never truly played a full season, whether due to healthy scratches or injuries. His 50 appearances this season were his lowest in three years but not far back from his career high of 57 set last season. What he lacks in scoring, he makes up for in physicality, routinely ranking among the team leaders in hits. He had 115 over the regular season, most among Kings forwards.
Grundström hasn’t played an NHL game in over two months, last suiting up against the Sabres on Feb. 13. He spent the last week of the regular season on an LTI conditioning loan to AHL Ontario, scoring a goal and an assist in two games. It was his first AHL action in four years.
He’s expected to factor in on a stacked fourth line with Quinton Byfield and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Kings interim head coach Jim Hiller will look to roll four lines at even strength to take advantage of Edmonton’s weaker depth offense. Arthur Kaliyev will be a healthy scratch.
Grundström is in the final season of a two-year, $2.6MM extension. He’s an RFA at season’s end – his last season under team control. He reaches unrestricted free agency before the 2025 offseason.
Kings Recall Carl Grundstrom And Aaron Dell
The Kings have made a pair of roster moves as they get set for Monday’s series opener against Edmonton. The team announced that they’ve recalled winger Carl Grundstrom from his conditioning loan with AHL Ontario and also promoted goalie Aaron Dell from the Reign.
Grundstrom hasn’t played with Los Angeles in more than two months due to a lower-body injury but did get into a pair of games with the Reign this past week, picking up a goal and an assist. The 26-year-old played in 50 games with the Kings this season, collecting eight goals and four assists along with 115 hits while averaging a little under 11 minutes a night. With how long he has been out, it’s not a guarantee that he’ll jump back into the lineup right away but there’s a good chance he’ll suit up at some point in the series.
As for Dell, his AHL contract was converted to an NHL one last month, making him eligible to be recalled down the stretch. He played in a dozen games for the Reign after joining them midseason, posting a 2.57 GAA with a .914 SV%. The 130-game NHL veteran will serve as Los Angeles’ emergency third-string option for the postseason, allowing prospects Erik Portillo and Jacob Ingham to serve as Ontario’s tandem heading into the AHL playoffs.
Kings Assign Carl Grundstrom To AHL On LTI Conditioning Loan
It has been two months since Kings winger Carl Grundstrom was able to see game action. That’s about to change as the team announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned Grundstrom to AHL Ontario on an LTI Conditioning Loan.
Grundstrom has been working his way back from a lower-body injury sustained back on February 13th against Buffalo, one that landed him on LTIR two days later. He’s the second Kings forward to be sent down on one of these loans this week as Alex Turcotte was sent to the Reign back on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old has played in 50 games with Los Angeles this season, notching eight goals and four assists. Grundstrom has also chipped in with 115 hits while logging a little under 11 minutes a night. That’s not a great return on a $1.3MM price tag and Grundstrom will be RFA-eligible for the final time this summer while having arbitration rights. With the cap situation the Kings have, Grundstrom could be a candidate to be moved out if they want to open up a little more cap room.
LTI conditioning assignments can last for a maximum of three games and six days although Los Angeles can ask for a one-time two-game extension if it’s determined that Grundstrom needs a bit more game action. Either way, it appears that the Kings will have the gritty winger available to them when the playoffs get underway next week barring a setback while on assignment.
West Notes: McGinn, Grundström, Krug, Joshua
The Anaheim Ducks have announced that forward Brock McGinn has undergone successful back surgery, focused on his intervertebral discs (Twitter link). This operation is expected to hold McGinn out for four months, ending his season early. McGinn has been on injured reserve since February 17th and absent from Anaheim’s lineup since January 25th.
This news marks the final blow in what was a difficult season for McGinn – who suffered a significant lower-body injury just days before Anaheim’s first game of the season that held him out for a month. That injury, as well as a brief departure for the birth of his first child in late December, held McGinn to just 24 appearances in the first half of the season. Those games will now stand as his only this year, marking the least he’s played since turning pro in the 2014-15 season. McGinn managed one goal, three points, four penalty minutes, and a -5 this year while averaging roughly 11 minutes of ice time. Anaheim has utilized a variety of talents in his place – with the Ducks debut of Ben Meyers, the return of Trevor Zegras from injury, and bottom-six stalwarts like Ross Johnston and Benoit-Olivier Groulx working to fill open minutes. McGinn will look to rejoin the bottom-six mix next season, with one year remaining on his contract.
Other notes from around the league:
- Gritty forward Carl Grundström is progressing from injury, joining the Los Angeles Kings on their three-game road trip through Western Canada, per The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (Twitter link). Grundström has been out since February 13th with a lower-body injury that’s earned him a place on long-term injured reserve. He’s managed eight goals and 12 points in 50 games this season. Stephens adds that Grundström is still wearing a no-contact jersey at practice – but his attendance on the trip is nonetheless encouraging progress towards his return from a 21-game absence.
- Defenseman Torey Krug could be held out of the St. Louis Blues’ lineup on Thursday with the flu, per NHL.com’s Lou Korac (Twitter link). Blues head coach Drew Bannister shared that he’s hopeful Krug will be good to go but designated him as questionable. Krug played in the first 69 games of St. Louis’ season but recently missed his first game of the year with a lower-body injury. He’s been a pivotal piece of St. Louis’ lineup when healthy, managing 34 points and 30 penalty minutes in 71 games. The Blues will hope he’s feeling better come tomorrow, as they gear up for a fight with the Calgary Flames.
- The Vancouver Canucks upgraded forward Dakota Joshua to full-contact at their Wednesday-morning practice (Twitter link). Joshua has been out since February 13th, suffering an undisclosed injury in the midst of a three-point night. He’s flirted with a return many times since, but ultimately landed on Vancouver’s long-term injured reserve. While no official designation was provided, Joshua could have a chance to return as soon as Thursday, when the Canucks take on the Dallas Stars.
Los Angeles Kings Activate Viktor Arvidsson, Place Two On LTIR
The Los Angeles Kings have officially activated winger Viktor Arvidsson off of long-term injured reserve. Arvidsson has yet to play this season, sitting out with a back injury. He will make his season debut against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. The Kings have also placed both Carl Grundstrom and Blake Lizotte on long-term injured reserve with lower-body injuries. LTIR rules will require Grundstrom to miss the team’s next 10 games, making him eligible to return on March 9th, while Lizotte has already missed the required time and can be activated whenever he’s healthy.
Getting Arvidsson back could mark a turning point in L.A.’s season. The 30-year-old forward scored 26 goals and 59 points in 77 games last season, his second-straight season of 20 or more goals. It was the first time he’s flirted with 60 points since the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons when he scored 61 points in back-to-back years. He also boasts a career-high of 34 goals, managed in just 58 games in 2018-19. His return to the lineup gives Los Angeles a lot more flexibility with their winger combinations, and will likely give third-line centerman Pierre-Luc Dubois an upgraded linemate.
Arvidsson’s return also helps L.A. fill the absences left by Lizotte and Grundstrom, who have currently been replaced by Alex Turcotte and Jaret Anderson-Dolan. Turcotte has appeared in four games this season, with his only scoring coming through the first goal and assist of his career, scored in the same game. Anderson-Dolan is also struggling to find his production, with just four points in 22 games.
Pacific Notes: Pelletier, Grundström, Dorofeyev, Emberson, Barabanov
The Flames have now listed winger Jakob Pelletier as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, per a team announcement. Pelletier, 22, played just 54 seconds against the Rangers on Monday before leaving the game after taking a hit from New York captain Jacob Trouba.
Thankfully, the day-to-day designation infers this injury isn’t related to the left shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the first three months of the season. After returning to health in January, the Flames assigned the 2019 first-round pick to the AHL, where he netted two goals and an assist in four games. Since returning to the NHL earlier this month, the Québec City native has an assist in four appearances. He got his first taste of NHL action last season, recording three goals and seven points in 24 games while averaging 14:11.
More from the Pacific Division:
- Kings winger Carl Grundström has returned to Los Angeles from the team’s road trip to be evaluated for a lower-body injury, interim head coach Jim Hiller said Wednesday (via Zach Dooley of the team’s official site). Grundström left last night’s 7-0 loss to the Sabres in the first period, recording one shot on goal in 3:43 of ice time. The 26-year-old has struggled to produce after rattling off four points in five games to open the season, posting eight goals and 12 points in 50 games on the year with a -2 rating while averaging 10:56 per game. The second-round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2016 is a pending RFA with arbitration rights upon completion of his two-year, $2.6MM deal.
- Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev has been skating on his own while he recovers from an upper-body injury, but head coach Bruce Cassidy said today that he’s not close to returning to practice (via Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Sun). Dorofeyev landed on IR earlier this week and hasn’t played since Jan. 26 against the Rangers, missing the team’s last four games. He’s eligible to return to the active roster at any time, but the 23-year-old is still weeks away from returning. The 2019 third-round pick has been an effective part of the Golden Knights’ secondary offense this season, potting seven goals and 14 points in only 29 games in a top-nine role.
- Sharks defenseman Ty Emberson and winger Alexander Barabanov will return from respective upper-body and undisclosed injuries against the Jets tonight, per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. It’s the Sharks’ first contest since the All-Star break – they’re the last team to return to action and will do so without the services of top-two centers Logan Couture and Tomáš Hertl for the foreseeable future. Emberson missed seven out of the last nine games before the break with an upper-body injury, while Barabanov didn’t finish their final contest before the break on Jan. 31 against the Ducks. With nine points and an even rating in 23 games, Emberson has battled through various injuries to break out as San Jose’s best shutdown blueliner this season after being claimed off waivers from the Rangers. The 29-year-old Barabanov hasn’t been as effective of a secondary presence as in years past, only producing three goals and nine points in 31 appearances while averaging 16:23 per game.
Roster Notes: Kings, Shore, Stars
The Los Angeles Kings have announced via a press release that forward Carl Grundstrom has been activated off of injured reserve, while forward Trevor Moore has been placed on the injured reserve. Grundstrom returns from a rather lengthy stay on the IR, having not played since January 11th against the San Jose Sharks. A very physical player, Grundstrom is known to rack up over 100 hits a season, adding a certain physicality to the bottom six of the King’s lineup.
Unfortunately for the Kings, they will lose an important piece of their roster for the near future. Since being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2019-20 season, Moore has really come into his own in Los Angeles. Scoring a career-high of 23 points in his first full year with the Kings in 2020-21, Moore followed that up with his coming out party in 2021-22, scoring a total of 48 points last year. After that impressive run, the Kings decided to keep Moore around long-term, signing him to a 5-year, $21MM contract, ending after the 2027-28 season. Continuing close to a 0.5 PPG pace this year, Moore will be leaving a hole in the King’s roster.
- After trading away Jesse Puljujarvi to the Carolina Hurricanes this morning, Devin Shore has been recalled by the Edmonton Oilers from their AHL affiliate Bakersfield Condors. Playing in under nine minutes a night this season, Shore has scored a total of five points in 33 games. Only 28 years old, Shore is now in his 8th season in the NHL. Not serving on the powerplay or penalty kill once this year, Shore will likely see limited action with the Oilers in the coming days.
- Continuing on their carousel, the Dallas Stars announced that they have once again loaned forwards Frederik Olofsson and Fredrik Karlstrom back to their AHL affiliate Texas Stars. As he is loaned back to the minors for the 8th time this season, Olofsson has managed to suit up in 17 games for the Stars. Registering only four points on the year, Olofsson has been used sparingly by Stars’ head coach Peter DeBoer, failing to average over 10 minutes of action a night. Similarly, Karlstrom will be loaned back to Texas for the 5th time this year. Having served in only three games this year for Dallas, Karlstrom has been employed much the same as his Swedish counterpart.
Los Angeles Kings Make Several Roster Moves
The Los Angeles Kings have completed a handful of moves, starting with the placement of Carl Grundstrom on injured reserve. He is expected to be out through the All-Star break, according to team reporter Zach Dooley. With Gabriel Vilardi also dealing with a minor injury, the team has recalled both Samuel Fagemo and Alex Turcotte from the minor leagues. Tobias Bjornfot is coming with them, giving the Kings another body on defense.
Grundstrom, 25, is having a season just like his first two, chipping in some offense while generally being a pain on the forecheck. Through 37 games he has six goals and ten points while racking up 93 hits. The Kings signed him to a two-year deal worth $1.3MM per season to be exactly that, and his absence will certainly be noticed.
Still, it’s not a huge loss for a club that has so many young prospects to fill the void. Fagemo, 22, has 12 goals through 27 games with the Ontario Reign this year and has been excellent when given a chance in the NHL. Turcotte, meanwhile, is still trying to find his way after being the fifth-overall pick in 2019. The 21-year-old has 12 points in 19 games for the Reign but is still looking for his first at the NHL level.
Los Angeles Kings Sign Carl Grundstrom, Lias Andersson
Who needs qualifying offers anyway? The Los Angeles Kings have signed Carl Grundstrom and Lias Andersson to contract extensions today, avoiding restricted free agency with the young Swedish forwards. Grundstrom’s two-year deal will carry an average annual value of $1.3MM, while Andersson has agreed to a one-year, $750K contract for 2022-23.
The 24-year-old Grundstrom came into his own this season, finding his niche as an uber-physical forechecker that could chip in a bit of offense when given the chance. He scored nine goals in 54 regular season games and then lit the lamp three more times in six postseason contests, as the Kings pushed the heavily favored Edmonton Oilers to seven games. The dogged puck pursuit from players like Grundstrom has made the Kings a tough team to play against, and this two-year deal rewards that effort with a cap hit that suggests he’ll be in the lineup every day moving forward.
Andersson meanwhile hasn’t had quite the same impact and remains an enigma, now five years removed from being the seventh overall pick in 2017. The 23-year-old forward had just two points in 20 games with the Kings during the regular season and now has just 17 in 109 career NHL contests.
At $750K there is basically no risk in bringing him back but it’s hard to see a future where Andersson becomes an impact player for the Kings. Interestingly enough, that NHL salary is lower than what he would have been owed as a qualifying offer, though because that would have been a two-way contract, this might ultimately result in more money for the young forward, should he bounce between the AHL and NHL once again.