While the Belleville Senators (15-18-6) have had their struggles this season, forward Arthur Kaliyev has thrived playing in the American Hockey League.
Kaliyev, 24, leads the AHL in goals (24) and points (42) this season and was named an AHL All-Star on Thursday. He also has appeared in two games for Ottawa, notching one assist.
Belleville general manager Matt Turek has two reasons why he believes Kaliyev has been successful so far with the AHL’s Senators.
“I would kind of go 50-50 on Arthur,” Turek told TSN 1200 on Friday morning. “Fifty per cent is him coming in, he’s played a lot of games in the NHL, you never know what the attitude is going to be when you’re up in the NHL for a couple hundred games and then you come back to the American Hockey League. His attitude has been great and he puts the work in and he knows where he wants to get to and what he has to prove.
“And I’d say the other side of it, the other 50 per cent, is probably the coaching, where you’re putting him into a position to succeed, build confidence and I think that we’re seeing the fruits of it when you put both together. A player that puts in the work and a coaching staff that understands what the player is and what he needs and he’s having a terrific season.”
The 2024-25 season was an injury-filled one for Kaliyev. In September of 2024, he broke his clavicle on the second day of training camp with the Los Angeles Kings, causing him to miss two months of action.
When he recovered, he was waived by the Kings and claimed by the New York Rangers on Jan. 6, 2025. He would later break that same clavicle just 14 games into his tenure with the Rangers in March, ending his season. He had three goals and four points with New York.
He was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Rangers, making him an unrestricted free agent. Kaliyev signed a one-year, two-way contract with Ottawa on July 2.
In an interview with The Hockey News in September, Kaliyev said familiarity with Senators general manager Steve Staios helped in his decision to sign with the organization. Kaliyev played for the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs when Staios was the GM and they won an OHL championship together in 2018.
“[Staios] knows how I can play,” Kaliyev said. “He knows I try to play and work hard in every single game. [Staios] is going to help me to get back to the top of my game.
“I know they have a great staff here, too. I think they are one of the best, so they know what they are doing. To come here, this was my best option.”
Kaliyev has skated in 204 career NHL games, scoring 38 goals with 76 points, split between the Kings, Rangers and Senators.
