Ottawa Senators forward Arthur Kaliyev is expected to become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday as the Sens will reportedly not offer the AHL’s leading goalscorer a qualifying offer, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia.
Despite playing only two games for the NHL’s Senators this past season, recording one assist, the 25-year-old Kaliyev led the AHL with 40 goals in 70 games playing for the Belleville Senators.
Ottawa signed Kaliyev to a one-year, two-way contract last summer as the Tashkent, Uzbekistan native would go on to be named to the AHL’s First All-Star Team in April.
Kaliyev was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft after scoring 126 goals over three seasons with the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs.
His best NHL season came in 2022-23 when he tallied 13 goals and 15 assists over 56 games with the Kings.
Over 204 career games with the Kings, New York Rangers and Sens, Kaliyev has 38 goals and 38 assists.
