After making his long-awaited return, Calgary Flames defenceman Oliver Kylington has been voted a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. This nomination recognises the player “best exemplifying perseverance, sportsmanship, dedication to hockey.”
Kylington’s a finalist along with Frederik Andersen (Carolina Hurricanes) and Connor Ingram (Arizona Coyotes).
Kylington’s triumphant return
Kylington had what most would call a breakout season in 2021–22. Playing mostly alongside Chris Tanev, the pair was excellent throughout the season and was one of the best pairings in the league in terms of on-ice metrics.
Set to build on his season, Kylington was looking more than ready to take the reins as a full-time NHL blueliner. However, he was absent from the September 2022 training camp and the entirety of the 2022–23 season. Signs pointed toward Kylington returning to the roster for 2023–24 but his return did not come to fruition as he faced more setbacks.
The Flames committed to Kylington’s recovery as they worked with him from start to finish, from helping him maintain his physical health and giving him the mental health resources he needed.
In the last week of January this year, Kylington returned and looked like himself in his first in-game action since the 2022 playoffs.
Kylington’s on-ice performance
Featuring in 33 games this season, he posted three goals and five assists. While this equates to a 20-point pace over the course of a full 82-game season, which is down from his 31-point output in 2021–22, it’s worth noting that Kylington played mostly with Rasmus Andersson and Brayden Pachal.
Andersson had somewhat of a disastrous season himself, while Pachal was formidable in his minutes but was not expected to be a replacement for Tanev nor Noah Hanifin. As a result, Kylington’s on-ice metrics took a hit. He went from putting up elite top-pairing numbers with Tanev to middling results with weaker partners.
However, no one is going to be pointing fingers at Kylington here. He went from missing almost two years of action to fitting right into the lineup; he was never remotely close to being the worst player on the ice.
Who knows, if Tanev was still around in a Flames jersey, maybe Kylington’s output would have been even better with his old partner. All things considered, he more than held his own for the games he played in.
Welcome back to the big leagues
Kylington’s return this year marked a big success for the player. His prolonged absence had both documented tribulations as well as many more hardships only Kylington would be privy to. The Flames fan base treated the situation with respect and gave him his privacy, and he returned the favour by giving them his best effort on the ice in his return.
