The New York Islanders have been desperate for young talent for some time now, and an opportunity may have just presented itself.
The New York Islanders have been desperate for young talent for some time now, and an opportunity may have just presented itself.
The New York Islanders have been desperate for young talent for some time now, and an opportunity may have just presented itself.
Restricted free agent forward Arthur Kaliyev has requested a trade from the Los Angeles Kings, according to David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period.
The right winger scored seven goals with eight assists for 15 points in 51 regular season games, a step back from his 2022-23 production, when he scored 13 goals with 15 assists for 28 points in 56 games.
Kaliyev was once a highly touted prospect for Los Angeles, ranked No. 25 in The Athletic’s league-wide prospect rankings in 2021.
Drafted 33rd overall in 2019, the now 22-year-old has since graduated to the big leagues but stagnated in his progress with the Kings.
Clearly, Kaliyev believes his situation in California isn't the best spot for him to grow.
Fun fact is that he was born in Uzbekistan but moved to Staten Island when he was two. He then moved to Michigan when he was 13.
So, why should the Islanders be interested?
Low Risk, High Reward
As cliche as it is, Kaliyev is a worthy acquisition because of his potential value at a low cost.
His draft pedigree and previous production (0.5 points per game in 2022-23) with low ice time indicate that he still has a higher ceiling. The Kings would also have little leverage, as Kaliyev’s lowered production and mutual interest in a trade makes him a buy-low option.
Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has already shown that he is willing to go after low-risk, high-reward players—look no further than the Tsyplakov signing.
A Kaliyev trade would allow the Islanders to keep most assets while injecting talent into the roster.
Bottom-Six Replacement
At exit interviews, Islanders pending restricted free agent Oliver Wahlstrom said, “We’ll see,” when asked about his future with the Islanders.
The futures of Wahlstrom and fellow bottom-six stalwarts Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin are largely up in the air.
If the aforementioned three players don’t re-sign, the Islanders’ depth will be tested come training camp.
By acquiring Kaliyev, however, the Islanders would receive a winger who can slot into third-line minutes and also play both sides.
This would allow players like Hudson Fasching and Kyle MacLean to excel, as they wouldn’t need to play up the lineup in unfamiliar roles like we saw this past season.
Trading for a restricted free agent like Kaliyev would also give the Islanders more security with contract negotiations—they wouldn’t have to rely on persuasion during free agency.
With the acquisition of an extra second-round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks, the ball is in Lamoriello’s court to stockpile draft capital or make a move.
Kaliyev’s buy-low potential and fit on the roster should intrigue management to at least consider a trade.
Regarding the cap situation, the Islanders have $6.15 million in available space before re-signing anyone.
Kaliyev's expiring deal carried a cap hit of $894,167 per CapFriendly, and it's likely that he would get around $950,000 annually, the same as Tsyplakov, so New York should have no issues there.
Kai Russell contributed to this story.