Arthur Kaliyev (; born June 26, 2001) is an Uzbekistan-born American professional ice hockey forward for the Belleville Senators in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round, 33rd overall, of the 2019 NHL entry draft. He also played for the New York Rangers.
Kaliyev was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, but his family moved to Staten Island, New York when he was two years old and later moved to Michigan at age 13. He represents the United States in international competition. His younger sister Elvina Kalieva, who was born in the United States, is a professional tennis player.
Kaliyev played junior hockey with Detroit Compuware U16. He was selected by the Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the second round, 26th overall, of the 2017 OHL Priority Draft. As a rookie in 2017âÂÂ18, Kaliyev scored 31 goals, 17 assists for 48 points in 68 regular season games, setting new franchise records for goals and points by a rookie. The Bulldogs advanced to the league championship and knocked off the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup. In 21 playoff games, Kaliyev added three goals and 11 points. As league champions, the Bulldogs were one of four teams invited to take part in the 2018 Memorial Cup, a round-robin tournament that pitted the three league champions from across the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), plus one host team, against each other. Hamilton was eliminated from contention in the semifinal by the Regina Pats and finished third in the tournament.
He followed that with 51 goals and 102 points for the Bulldogs in 2018âÂÂ19, the youngest player in the OHL to score more than 40 goals that season and the first Bulldog to record 50 goals or 100 points. He was selected to play in the 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. The Bulldogs qualified for the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round by the Ottawa 67's. In four playoff games, he tallied one goal and two points. In his final season with Hamilton in 2019âÂÂ20, he recorded 44 goals and 98 points in 57 games before the season was cancelled on March 18, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite his goal-scoring prowess, he was regarded as inconsistent, a weak skater, and a weak defender before the National Hockey League (NHL)'s 2019 entry draft. Kaliyev was subsequently selected in the second round with the 33rd overall pick by the Los Angeles Kings. On June 3, 2020, Kaliyev was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by the Kings. He began the pandemic-shortened 2020âÂÂ21 season with the Kings' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Ontario Reign. He spent the majority of the season with the Reign, marking 14 goals and 31 points in 40 games. He was recalled by the Kings and made his NHL debut on February 2, 2021, in a 3âÂÂ1 loss against the Anaheim Ducks and scored his first goal. He was returned to the Reign and the team qualified for the abbreviated 2021 Calder Cup playoffs. Ontario was eliminated in the opening round by the Colorado Eagles. Kaliyev went scoreless in the playoffs.
Kaliyev opened the 2021âÂÂ22 season on the Kings roster. In his first NHL full season, he played primarily on the fourth line alongside Blake Lizotte and Brendan Lemieux. In 80 games he scored 14 goals and 27 points in the regular season. The team finished third in the Pacific Division, and faced the Edmonton Oilers in the first round, renewing their rivalry. The best-of-seven game series went all the way, decided in the final game, as the Kings were defeated by the Oilers. In the seven games, Kaliyev went scoreless. In the 2022âÂÂ23 season, he remained on the fourth line, but saw time on the team's power play alongside Viktor Arvidsson. He missed time in December with a lower body injury after blocking a shot. He finished the season with 13 goals and 28 points in 56 games. The Kings finished third in the division again and faced the Oilers in the first round for the second consecutive season. The Oilers eliminated the Kings, with Kaliyev appearing two of the playoff games, going scoreless.
Entering the 2023âÂÂ24 season, he was suspended by the NHL for two pre-season exhibition games and two regular season games after an illegal hit (kneeing) on Chase De Leo of the Anaheim Ducks in a preseason game. He started off the season well, but in the second half, his play cratered and coach Todd McLellan began to scratch him from the lineup. After McLellan was fired, new coach Jim Hiller continued scratching him in favor of a seventh defenseman, with Kaliyev playing just six games after the March trade deadline and not at all in the Kings' postseason. He ended the season with seven goals and 15 points in 51 games. On September 18, 2024, the Kings re-signed Kaliyev to a one-year contract.
During the 2024âÂÂ25 preseason, on the second day of training camp on September 22, Kaliyev suffered a broken clavicle. He was out of the lineup for the remainder of training camp and the regular season until December. Upon his return from the injury, he was assigned to the AHL on a conditioning loan, joining the Reign on December 10. He appeared in five games for the Reign, scoring one goal and two points. After his conditioning loan ended, he was placed on waivers on January 5, 2025, with the intent of assigning him to the Reign.
On January 6, 2025, Kaliyev was claimed off waivers by the New York Rangers. He made his Rangers debut on January 9 in a 3âÂÂ2 overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils. He scored his first goal for the Rangers on January 16, in a 5âÂÂ3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. He played in 14 games for the Rangers before his season ended due to injury on March 11, recording three goals and four points. Kaliyev was a restricted free agent after the season, but the Rangers declined to make a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Kaliyev signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Ottawa Senators on July 2, 2025. He began the season with Ottawa's AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, after clearing waivers. He was recalled by Ottawa on October 16 to replace the injured Brady Tkachuk. He made his Senators' debut that night against the Seattle Kraken. He tallied his first point for Ottawa on October 18 in a 5âÂÂ4 loss to the New York Islanders, assisting on David Perron's power play goal in the first period. He was returned to Belleville on October 20. He was selected to represent Belleville at the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic in February 2026.
Kaliyev was selected to represent the United States' junior team at the 2020 World Junior Championships. He led the team in goal scoring with four and added two assists for six points in five games. The team was knocked out in the quarterfinals by Finland. He returned to the US junior team for the 2021 World Junior Championships. Kaliyev scored the game-winning goal to beat Finland for a spot in the final. He earned a gold medal with the United States' 2âÂÂ0 victory over Canada in the final.