At one point, Arthur Kaliyev looked to be a promising part of the future for the Los Angeles Kings. The former second round pick had back-to-back seasons with over 25 points and at only 22 years old last season was ready to take that next step.
However, once Jim Hiller took over as interim head coach, Kaliyev barely saw the ice and had fallen out of the rotation. He is now a restricted free agent and with Hiller stepping into head coach permanently, it would make sense for the Kings to look to trade him.
This is a trade that should have probably already happened earlier in the offseason and is surprising it hasn't been completed. It could be that the Kings don't feel they are getting the return they want but it should be done before the start of the upcoming season.
The good news is that there should be a number of teams that would be interested in Arthur Kaliyev, with these three being likely landing spots.
3 teams who could trade for Los Angeles Kings' Arthur Kaliyev
San Jose Sharks
The first team is an idea of Spencer Lazary with The Hockey News but it certainly would give general manager Rob Blake some hesitation with a trade within the division. However, the San Jose Sharks make a lot of sense based on Lazary's reasoning.
Entering the upcoming season, the Sharks are not in position to compete for a playoff spot. They are rebuilding and trying to acquire as much young talent as possible. Kailyev would be a good fit and could get some good ice time as he continues to develop while trying to prove that he can play better than he did this past season.