A twist in the world of hockey: it was ultimately the New York Rangers who claimed Arthur Kaliyev on waivers, thus pulling the rug out from under the Montreal Canadiens.
Several observers believe that the CH intended to add the 23-year-old winger to its squad. But Chris Drury, general manager of the Rangers, once again made his former colleague and rival, Jeff Gorton, sweat.
The Ranges had priority over the CH by being lower in the ranking. They finally had the luxury of claiming the attacker in the sights of Montreal leaders.
The strained relationship between Drury and Gorton dates back to their shared tenure in charge of Rangers, where Gorton was fired in 2021 to make way for Drury.
Then general manager of the Rangers, Gorton walked out the door as the rebuild was completed in New York.
Many believe Drury went behind Gorton’s back by convincing Rangers owner James Dolan to fire him and appoint him in his place.
Since then, the two men have not failed to make each other sweat. Kaliyev’s assertion is a new example.
For CH fans, this is a tough pill to swallow, especially considering that Kent Hughes and Gorton had expressed considerable interest in the former Kings second-round pick.
With his imposing size (6 feet 2 inches) and his underutilized offensive talent in Los Angeles, Kaliyev could have met a need in Montreal: adding offensive depth.
With Michael Pezzetta playing 4 minutes when injured, Slafkovsky being lost like a Bambi who lost his mother and who could benefit from watching a game from the press box, Kaliyev would have been welcome in Montreal.
His low-cost contract ($825,000 for the season) and his restricted free agent status made him an attractive target for a rebuilding team like the Canadiens.
In addition, under the orders of Martin St-Louis, recognized for his ability to revive young players offensively, Kaliyev could have benefited from a favorable environment to regain confidence and consistency.
For the Rangers, Kaliyev represents a strategic acquisition. Hailing from Staten Island, New York, the winger is a local product who could quickly become a fan favorite.
Although he has had his ups and downs in Los Angeles, his potential remains undeniable. At just 23 years old, he has already accumulated 35 goals and 71 points in 188 career games.
With injuries slowing his development and him not playing much even when healthy, Drury likely sees him as a long-term project, with interesting potential to fill out a top nine or contribute to the power play.
In Montreal, rumors are already circulating: did Chris Drury act simply to get ahead of Gorton?
If this is the case, it would be far from the first time that the Rangers have pulled the rug out from under their former leader.
Ultimately, this decision by the Rangers adds a new chapter to a personal and professional rivalry that continues to captivate hockey fans.
For the Canadian, he will have to turn the page and focus on other opportunities. For Kaliyev, his history with the Rangers could well be the start of redemption.
Chris Drury has once again demonstrated that he knows how to play his cards, but the question remains: did the Canadian miss a real opportunity to strengthen his squad or did he simply avoid a project that was too risky?
We are convinced of one thing: the rivalry between Drury and Gorton has never stopped being talked about.
