Rangers Claim Arthur Kaliyev Off Waivers from Kings

The New York Rangers claimed winger Arthur Kaliyev off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings on Monday, adding a young, low-cost player to their roster as they seek to address offensive struggles. Kaliyev, 23, has yet to play in the NHL this season after breaking his clavicle during training camp in September.

The Kings placed Kaliyev on waivers Sunday after activating forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Blake Lizotte off injured reserve. Kaliyev recently completed a five-game conditioning stint with the American Hockey League’s Ontario Reign from Dec. 15-27. To send him back to the AHL, the Kings needed to expose him to waivers, allowing the Rangers to claim him.

The Rangers, currently seventh in waiver priority, are in the midst of a disappointing season, having lost 16 of their last 22 games. This slump has dropped them from a solid playoff position to a tie with the New York Islanders for last place in the Metropolitan Division.

Kaliyev, born in Uzbekistan and raised in Staten Island and Michigan, carries a league-minimum salary of $825,000. He is a pending restricted free agent, giving the Rangers control over his rights for next season and beyond. A second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Kaliyev has recorded 35 goals and 36 assists in 197 NHL regular-season and playoff games.

To make room for Kaliyev, the Rangers sent enforcer Matt Rempe to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. Rempe has one game remaining on an eight-game suspension for elbowing Dallas’ Jani Hakanpää. The Rangers will host the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, though it remains unclear if Kaliyev will make his debut in the lineup.