The deadly goalscorer, who, prior to his time in Hull, had played in the AHL, ECHL and top flight leagues in Russia and Italy, had an outstanding last term, somehow outperforming his first year in Hull, when he bagged 23 goals and 23 assists in 44 games.
He capped off a brilliant career year, in which he was named to the EIHL Overseas All Star squad for the annual EIHL Allstar game, by deservedly claiming both the Stingrays Player and Forward of the Year at the clubs end of season awards dinner.
However, despite his heroics, having finished bottom in the EIHL, Stingrays coach Sylvain Cloutier is looking for more of the same from the former Ukrainian international, particularly if the Rays are to make the top eight and claim a playoff spot this year.
"Kalmi was a big player for us last year and scoring the number of goals he did was an outstanding achievement. He brings a lot of experience to the team...Obviously we expect a lot from him. He is our go-to guy offensively."Of course, Cloutier is hoping to give the former Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick more offensive support next season, not only in order to solve the Rays continual chronic lack of goals, but to also free up the silky skilled 6'1 forward.
"We know he can put up numbers and I will be expecting the same again next season. We relied on Kalmi's goals a lot last year but in [Chris] Korchinski and Silver [Jason Silverthorn] we have more guys who can put the puck in the net."Kalmikov and former forward Jeff Glowa are the only players to have hit the 30 goal barrier for the Stingrays in the Elite League and, while Jason Silverthorn and, to an extent, Curtis Huppe, provided the team with some scoring last year, Cloutier must find more offence from somewhere.
However, the departure of Curtis Huppe has seemingly left Cloutier with a shortage of potential goals with just one import forward to come. Unless that import carries significant goalscoring threat, which is, given the clubs suggested wage bill, unlikely, the club does appear to be lacking goals once again.
Some of those extra goals may have to come from the coach himself, particularly as his measly seven goal effort of last season barely stands up to the 23 and 25 he bagged in Coventry colours, but elsewhere a lot will be expected of British forwards Lee Esders, Matty Davies, James Archer and, perhaps more so, Lee Mitchell, who, given a full season on the ice, is on the brink of becoming a premium British forward.
It is believed that Cloutier already has his squad in place for the upcoming season with the remaining imports, including two defencemen, a netminder and a forward, signed up two and a half months before the Stingrays opening weekend on 4 September, where they will face Cardiff (away) and Belfast (home).
