Wild Organization Adds Former Second-Round Pick Coming Off 40-Goal AHL Season

The Minnesota Wild organization is adding some offensive firepower to its American Hockey League affiliate.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, forward Arthur Kaliyev is signing a 25-game professional tryout (PTO) agreement with the Iowa Wild.

Kaliyev, 25, is coming off an impressive 2025-26 campaign with the Belleville Senators, Ottawa’s AHL affiliate, where he recorded 40 goals and 28 assists for 68 points in 70 games.

The 6-foot-2, 209-pound winger also appeared in two NHL games with Ottawa last season, recording one assist.

Originally selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Kaliyev was once considered one of the organization’s more promising offensive prospects.

He made his NHL debut during the 2020-21 season before becoming a regular in Los Angeles’ lineup the following year.

During the 2021-22 campaign, Kaliyev appeared in 80 games for the Kings, recording 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points. He followed that up with 13 goals and 28 points in 56 games during the 2022-23 season.

However, his offensive production declined during the 2023-24 campaign, when he managed seven goals and 15 points in 51 games.

Kaliyev eventually moved on from Los Angeles, spending time with the New York Rangers organization before joining Ottawa.

Across 204 career NHL games with the Kings, Rangers and Senators, Kaliyev has recorded 38 goals and 38 assists for 76 points.

Despite struggling to establish himself as a consistent NHL contributor in recent seasons, Kaliyev demonstrated his scoring ability with Belleville last year.

His 40 goals in 70 games represented an average of 0.57 goals per game, while his 68 points marked one of the most productive professional seasons of his career.

For Iowa, the addition provides an opportunity to evaluate a relatively young forward with significant NHL experience and a proven ability to score at the AHL level.

The 25-game PTO allows Kaliyev to join Iowa without the organization immediately committing to a standard contract for the remainder of the season.

It also gives Kaliyev an opportunity to showcase his offensive abilities as he looks to work his way back into the NHL.

While the agreement is strictly with Iowa and does not place Kaliyev on Minnesota’s NHL roster, his performance could make him an intriguing organizational depth option moving forward.

For now, the former second-round pick will look to build on his 40-goal campaign and prove that he still has more to offer at the professional level.

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