General Manager and President Chris Drury made an excellent pickup. Newest New York Ranger Arthur Kaliyev was and continues to be a high-level prospect with an elite shot as well as a rare shoot-first mentality.
The Rangers claimed Kaliyev off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings on the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 6th. But who exactly is the newest Ranger?
Kaliyev was drafted by the Kings in 2019 as the No. 33 overall pick. He has 35 goals and 36 assists for 71 points in 197 NHL regular-season and playoff games. The Uzbekistan native has experience on the power play and figures to play on New York's second, third or fourth line.
Arthur Kaliyev, claimed by NYR, is a developing shoot-first winger. Never able to break out of sheltered fourth line minutes with the Kings. Loves chucking one-timers and perimeter shots and has shown some usefulness getting pucks out of the defensive zone. #NYR pic.twitter.com/VZ0UIOnq8U
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) January 6, 2025
He grew up in the U.S. after his family moved to Staten Island when he was 2 and Michigan when he was 13, makes just over the league-minimum salary at $825,000. He is a pending restricted free agent, and the Rangers have his rights for next season and beyond because of his age if they choose to retain him.
Kaliyev, 23-years-old, has yet to play in the NHL this season after breaking a clavicle during training camp in September. The LA Kings put Kaliyev on waivers Sunday, Jan. 5th, when they activated forwards Trevor Lewis and Trevor Moore off injured reserve.
It's worth noting that Kaliyev already has experience playing on the ice with one of ther key players on the Rangers' roster. During the 2021 World Junior Championship, he won a gold medal with current rookie Brett Berard.
In his first season in the NHL, Berard has seen tallied seven point off of three goals and fourt assists from 17 games played so far. Kaliyev utilizing his pre-exisiting chemistry with Berard will be key to see how he fits in with the Blueshirts.
arthur kaliyev and brett berard won a gold medal together for team usa at the 2021 world junior championship pic.twitter.com/hwSdtZ1wMF
— hope (@nohopeleague) January 6, 2025
To make room for Kaliyev, the Rangers have assigned Rempe back down to the Wolf Pack
The Rangers were seventh in the waiver priority list nearly midway through a disappointing season that has included them losing 16 of their past 22 games to go from solidly in a playoff position to tied with the Islanders for last place in the Metropolitan Division.