Report: Senators Cut Ties With Belleville Sniper Who Scored 40 Goals This Season
Despite his connection to the club's brass and leading the AHL in scoring, the Senators have allowed Arthur Kaliyev to walk into unrestricted free agency.
The Ottawa Senators have decided not to issue a qualifying offer to RFA winger Arthur Kaliyev, making him an unrestricted free agent.
The move was first reported by Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch, and Kaliyev no longer appears on the club's Puckpedia page.
Kaliyev arrived in Ottawa last summer hoping it would provide the fresh start he needed to revive his NHL career.
The former second-round pick had shown flashes of being a productive scorer with the Los Angeles Kings, recording 71 points in 202 NHL games over parts of four seasons. But a series of injuries derailed his progress.
During the 2023-24 season, Kaliyev suffered an upper-body injury in training camp that kept him sidelined until December. Once healthy, the Kings attempted to assign him to the American Hockey League, but he was claimed off waivers by the New York Rangers in January.
His stint in New York was brief. Kaliyev dressed for just 14 games before another upper-body injury ended his season.
The Rangers elected not to qualify him last summer, allowing the 24-year-old to hit the open market. Ottawa quickly signed him to a one-year, two-way contract, a move that seemed logical given his previous relationship with Senators owner Michael Andlauer and general manager Steve Staios.
Kaliyev played for the Hamilton Bulldogs when Andlauer owned the club and Staios served as general manager, helping the franchise capture the 2022 OHL championship.
Despite remaining healthy throughout the season, Kaliyev never earned an extended look with Ottawa, appearing in only two NHL games.
Instead, he spent the bulk of the year with the Belleville Senators, where he reminded everyone of his offensive ability. Kaliyev scored 40 goals in 70 AHL games and was named to the league's All-Star Team, finishing as the American Hockey League's top goal scorer.
Even with that production, it wasn't enough to convince Ottawa to keep him around.
Kaliyev's season also included an off-ice distraction after allegations involving money and gambling were made by a former girlfriend. The NHL investigated the matter and cleared him of any wrongdoing in February.
There's little question Kaliyev has excellent offensive instincts, particularly on the power play, where his heavy shot remains elite, even by NHL standards. The bigger concern continues to be his five-on-five game, including his skating and defensive play.
With the Senators choosing not to qualify him, Kaliyev now returns to the open market looking for another opportunity to turn his offensive talent into a permanent NHL role.
Garrioch also says that RFA Leevi Merliainen has been qualified, but Riley Kidney was not. Other restricted free agents in Belleville include Tyler Boucher and Xavier Bourgault.
**This story will be updated as additional qualifying-offer decisions become official ahead of and after Monday's 5:00 p.m. deadline.**
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News
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