The Calgary Flames have been without Oliver Kylington since the end of the 2021–22 season. After putting up a career-high 31 points in 73 games that season, Oliver Kylington went into the summer and did not return for training camp the following season. He remained away from the team for the entirety of the season and the beginning of this season due to a personal matter.
This week, it was announced that Kylington has rejoined the team, and has been sent down to the Calgary Wranglers for a conditioning stint. Here’s when we could expect him back on the ice.
How do conditioning stints work?
Per the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), any player who has been on LTIR can be sent to the AHL for a conditioning stint to help get them back up to game fitness at the NHL level. These stints can last for the lesser of three games or six days, which starts as soon as he is sent down to the AHL. It also counts regardless of whether the player plays in those games or not. The team can apply for an extension of up to two more games if they need more time to determine how fit he is for game action.
His contract still does count against the Flames’ cap while he is on a conditioning stint and does remain on LTIR. However, Kylington does not count against the active roster for the team.
When could Kylington return to the ice?
Kylington was sent down to the Wranglers on January 4, equating to January 10 being the day he’d be sent back to the Flames. The Wranglers play just two games in this stint—Friday and Saturday night against the Henderson Silver Knights. From the sounds of what Head Coach Trent Cull said, it seems unlikely that Kylington plays on Friday, despite practicing on the team’s top pairing.
Given that, there is a very good chance that the Flames apply for an extension, and given how long Kylington has been away from the team, there is a very good chance that it will be granted. If this is the case, Kylinton will remain with the Wranglers for their two-game mid-week home series against the Ontario Reign on January 11 and 12.
When does Kylington play for the Flames next?
From there, Kylington will likely rejoin the Flames. The team heads out on the road on January 13 and 15 in Arizona and Las Vegas, and it seems unlikely Kylington will be back on the road for either of those games.
There is a very good chance that Kylington will play his first game back on January 18 against the Arizona Coyotes. This would allow him to play his first game back at home in front of home fans and also against a weaker side in the Arizona Coyotes. He likely starts in a very sheltered role on the team’s third pairing as he re-finds his feet at the NHL level.
No matter how he does in his first few games back, the fact that we can even have this conversation is a testament to his resilience as well as the team’s confidence in him and their willingness to stick with him through this challenge.
There hasn’t been a lot to celebrate this season, but Oliver Kylington getting back on the ice is the good news story that this team desperately needs.
