Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer
See a problem, address the problem.
That’s what the Iowa Wild are doing as they try to steer out of a six-game losing skid.
On Thursday, the Wild signed forward Arthur Kaliyev to a tryout deal. Kaliyev, whose 40 goals with the Belleville Senators led the AHL last season, will be looked upon to boost an Iowa offense that ranks 31st in the league, as well as a power play that is just 6-for-55 (10.9 percent) thus far.
The 25-year-old Kaliyev was unsigned despite being a First Team AHL All-Star in 2025-26. His 68 points tied him for third in league scoring, and he represeted Belleville at the AHL All-Star Classic. Kaliyev’s 204 NHL games between the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators also lend further experience to the Iowa roster.
Rare indeed is the opportunity to bring in a 40-goal weapon on a no-strings-attached deal. As Iowa tries to build a winning environment, roster changes mean that the team is still trying to find cohesion among its four lines. Newcomers Mason Shaw – back with the Wild after two seasons in Manitoba – and Justin Kirkland are the team’s leading scorers. Tyler Pitlick, Matt Kiersted and rookie winger Rieger Lorenz have already seen NHL time in Minnesota. And the goaltending tandem of Riley Mercer and William Rousseau had 23 combined games of AHL experience entering the season.
The Wild also have made the Calder Cup Playoffs just twice since joining the AHL in 2013. Hired this summer, Stu Bickel is the team’s fourth head coach in five seasons.
So Iowa general manager Matt Hendricks and the rest of the Minnesota organization are taking steps now to head off problems. The addition of Kaliyev provides some offensive help in Des Moines. The Wild also claimed former Iowa captain Cam Crotty off waivers from Ottawa, allowing Carson Lambos to be returned to the AHL club.
It’s a lot of talent coming and going for Bickel and his staff, but the Wild have shown a willingness to make in-season changes. Last year Gerry Mayhew jumped aboard on an AHL contract and wound up leading the team in goals and points.
So the Wild front office is at work top help both Minnesota and Iowa. Now it’s the AHL roster’s job to prove them right.
On the American Hockey League beat for more than two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding coverage of the league in 2015-16.
