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Trevor Lewis' injury should open the door for Arthur Kaliyev

karo blikian
·3 min read

Los Angeles Kings head coach Jim Hiller announced yesterday that Trevor Lewis will be out 4 to 6 weeks with a lower body injury. Lewis was hurt on Saturday in the first period of his 999th career game.

In reality, this shouldn’t really be viewed as a significant narrative for LA, but the way the Kings have used Lewis this season, his injury becomes a bigger story, and his now vacant spot becomes a bigger opportunity.

The Kings have enough healthy bodies to ice a fourth line without Lewis, with the most likely combination including Andre Lee, Samuel Helenius, Tanner Jeannot, and Akil Thomas when healthy. Alex Turcotte has also seen time on that line, but that feels like a temporary placement.

The less obvious name is Arthur Kaliyev. He recently joined the Kings for a full team practice – his first with the group since he fractured his clavicle in training camp. Kaliyev has not been cleared for contact yet, but his inclusion in line rotations is an encouraging sign. If he were to be activated off of IR before Lewis’ return, he automatically becomes the most intriguing option for that spot.

Head coach Jim Hiller, however, didn’t seem to think Kaliyev’s path was without hurdles:

“He’s got some work to do, he only had two days of training camp, but I know he’s working hard, he’s on the ice now, he’s in the gym, he’s doing a lot of work, so I’m not exactly sure [where he’s at] he’s just behind. It’s really going to be dependent upon him, when he rejoins us for practice, to see where he is. We have no idea how he measures up to the guys who have been playing.”

Kaliyev should have a theoretical edge over Lee, Helenius, Thomas, and even Jeannot because of his proven ability in the LA power play. This is where Kaliyev ranked in key team power play metrics just last season:

2nd in xGoals per 60 - 2.01

2nd in Goals per 60 - 2.49

1st in Shots on goal per 60 - 13.27

1st in Shot attempts per 60 - 29.85

5th highest shooting percentage - 18.8%

The Kings’ powerplay has yet to find success this season. It ranks 25th in the NHL at 16% after two seasons of landing north of 20%. The second unit is especially in desperate need of a shooting threat, and Kaliyev’s previous success suggests he could be just what the doctor ordered for that unit. With Warren Foegele, Phillip Danault, and Alex Laferierre more than willing to attack the goal mouth, Kaliyev should be encouraged to fire away at will if given that opportunity.

Frankly, Kaliyev should be given that opportunity because it sets him up for success. If he is working hard like Hiller suggests, putting Kaliyev in a spot where his strengths are highlighted and not hidden seems like an easy decision. But, as we've learned, things are rarely that simple regarding Arthur Kaliyev and the Los Angeles Kings.

Related Video: LA Kings Weekly Preview