Oliver Kylington will return to the Saddledome on Feb. 6 as one of the out-of-town guests.
Perhaps there will be more answers that day on why contract negotiations fizzled with the Calgary Flames, why the smooth-skating defenceman ultimately accepted a one-year pact with the Colorado Avalanche. His new deal, announced Monday, is reportedly worth US$1.05 million.
Kylington, 27, was one of the NHL’s feel-good stories this past winter, returning to the Flames’ lineup in late January after missing a season and a half to focus on his mental health. He was selected as a Masterton Trophy finalist.
As the season wound down, Kylington often reiterated his desire to ink an extension in Calgary, once telling Postmedia: “I think everyone knows that I want to be a part of this team and this organization.” However, the two sides were never able to hammer out a new contract.
Kylington hit unrestricted free-agency on July 1 and played the waiting game for five weeks before Monday’s news that he was joining Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and a stacked squad in the Mile High City.
With Kylington’s departure now official, the Flames will be holding training-camp auditions for a pair of top-four jobs on the blue-line. Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar are locks for big-minute duties, while Kevin Bahl, Jake Bean and Daniil Miromanov are the leading candidates for the other two spots.
Kylington wraps his stint at the Saddledome with 17 goals and 55 points in 201 career contests in the Flaming C logo.