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Flames Should Be Extending Kylington as Soon as Possible

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Rupert McDonald | Last updated 2/27/24

What the Calgary Flames are getting from Oliver Kylington right now is nothing short of incredible. After missing a season and a half due to mental health issues, there was serious worry among fans that his NHL career may be in jeopardy. Missing that much time and expecting to come back and compete against the best players in the world is no easy feat.

Somehow, Kylington has been able to do it with relative ease. After an American Hockey League conditioning stint with the Calgary Wranglers, Kylington suited up for his first game of the season on Jan. 25, marking his first NHL game since the Flames were eliminated in the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Edmonton Oilers in May, 2022.

Kylington Quickly Got Back Up to NHL Speed

There was some clear rust in his first few games back, as he seemed to be a little hesitant to jump into the play like he was known for, and his hands appeared to be a little out of sync. Any and all rust is completely gone now, however, and to the amazement of many, he looks as good as he did in his breakout 2021-22 season.

Kylington’s biggest asset prior to his extended absence was always his skating. He moves around the ice at ease, which allows him to jump into the rush as he has no issues getting back to his own zone in quick time to defend. That skating ability does wonders for him on the offensive side of the puck, helping him put up a career-high 31 points in 2021-22.

His offensive game seems to be coming back, as he is currently on a three-game point streak. His first goal of the season, which came versus the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 19, saw him blow by several opposing players to get in alone, before beating one of the game’s best in Connor Hellebuyck with a beautiful backhand.

It was an excellent moment, and allowed fans to once again rally around the 26 year old. He has quickly become a fan favourite in Calgary thanks to his excellent story. He clearly put in some serious work to get back to this level of play, and it is now up to general manager Craig Conroy to reward him for it.

Kylington is a Pending Unrestricted Free Agent

Shortly after his breakout 2021-22 season, the Flames signed Kylington to a two-year extension. Unfortunately, the first year of that deal was burned given that he chose to take time away from the game to help improve his mental health. As a result, he has just a few months remaining in his deal before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

As he is being eased back into game play, Kylington’s ice time has been lower than what Flames fans were accustomed to. It is slowly beginning to creep up, however, as he played a season-high 16:29 in Saturday night’s (Feb. 24) 6-3 victory over the Oilers. Should he continue his solid play, he will likely start to get into the 18-minute range near the end of the season.

Kylington’s current deal carries a cap hit of $2.5 million, which seemed like a bargain at the time it was signed. Given how much time he had to take away from the game, he isn’t in a position to demand a big deal, and could be signed to a very similar contract. Having him pencilled in on the third-pairing heading into the 2024-25 season at a deal less than $3 million is something the Flames should be all over.

Kylington Is Flames’ Best Storyline of the Season

In a season that has been a bit of a disappointment for the Flames, there is no doubt Kylington has been the team’s best story of the season. The ovation he got from the crowd not only after his first goal of the season but also his first game back shows just how much support he has from the fans in what has been an incredible comeback. Seeing him rewarded with an extension would be icing on the cake.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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