Player Discussion Oliver Kylington

[Bert Mckrakken]

Did I miss the memo where there is a specific timeline to sign someone?

He has until the season starts, really. Who cares? Hope he comes back; maybe he is just taking time to evaluate his life and decide what he wants to do? Hopefully he comes back with a chip on his shoulder and plays out of his mind. If he moves on, wish him the best of luck and hope he wins a cup.

 

[Khrox]

Did I miss the memo where there is a specific timeline to sign someone?

He has until the season starts, really. Who cares? Hope he comes back; maybe he is just taking time to evaluate his life and decide what he wants to do? Hopefully he comes back with a chip on his shoulder and plays out of his mind. If he moves on, wish him the best of luck and hope he wins a cup.

I mean, it's openly been said that there were negotiations and that the term Kylington wanted was longer than the Flames were comfortable with (given every contract they've signed has been 1-2 years except Rango who was extended for 5). So either the money is fine if it's a 2 year (maybe 3) deal, or the money is too much for the amount of years he wants. Conroy specifically said that "the length of contract was where we had issues, but he's earned his right to free agency, and we wish him good luck"

 

[FLAMESFAN]

Ya, I don't think its a standing offer that he can just take his time on, check around if he can get better elsewhere, then come back to us and say OK when that doesn't work.
If he does come back, it better be no more than what he signed lasttime - 2 years @ 2.5

Even if he did get a better offer elsewhere, why would someone with mental health battles risk taking a bit more pay for an uncertain environment? Wouldn't familiarity (along with opportunity) go a long way in making a choice?

I really don't know if there is room for him anymore though, as if we include Solo, which we should, I count 8 NHL DMen.

 

[Lunatik]

I really don't know if there is room for him anymore though, as if we include Solo, which we should, I count 8 NHL DMen.

There is room. Hanley could be waived and it would be no great loss.

 

[Rubi]

Doesnt matter if the Flames have the best offer on the table.

There's a lot to be said for having players on the team and in the locker room that really want to be here. I kind of think Kylington is burning bridges with Flames management... something I don't think they were expecting after the way they respectfully handled his personal situation/problems for the past two years.

 

[JPeeper]

Kylington played himself and will end up signing a PTO or end up in Europe. Simple as that.

He wanted term after taking 18 months off, he's not living in reality.

 

[Zirakzigil]

There's a lot to be said for having players on the team and in the locker room that really want to be here. I kind of think Kylington is burning bridges with Flames management... something I don't think they were expecting after the way they respectfully handled his personal situation/problems for the past two years.

Its business, not personal. Players and staff are well aware of that.

 

[User1996]

Its business, not personal. Players and staff are well aware of that.

They can be aware of it, but surely they don’t act that way all the time. See Conroy/Flames not dealing with Treliving rumours.

 

[Rubi]

Right now the only way I think the Flames should consider signing Klington would be for a 2 yr contract for the cheapest $$ possible and then trade him at either the 2025 TDL or next summer. Nothing personal... just business.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Its business, not personal. Players and staff are well aware of that.

I don't necessarily agree - especially in this case.

The Flames paid out 4M to this player to sit at home and deal with his struggles while he pondered if he wanted to play the game professionally anymore. They were there for him at every turn and protected his privacy to the highest level (we still don't even know the full details). For him to come back and skate in 33 very mediocre to poor games and then play hardball on the term of his deal after being so uncertain about his future just months is nothing short of shocking. To me personally that shows a distinct lack of gratitude and awareness for how he was treated here. Yes, I agree that he has every right to do so, but I can also very much see how that put off some/most of the higher ups here (and around the league for that matter).

 

[Qubax]

If we could get Kylington back at low money.

He overplayed his hand and now has few NHL options IMO.

If he tries to get a deal on a PTO we're talking league minimum territoriy

So I think the Flames should offer a 1 year for $1.25 million or 2 year for $2.5 million (1.25 AAV)

Perhaps some performance bonuses in there if he gets 30 points or plays 70 games.

Then if he has a decent year we deal him with retention at the deadline for picks.

 

[Double Dion]

I don't necessarily agree - especially in this case.

The Flames paid out 4M to this player to sit at home and deal with his struggles while he pondered if he wanted to play the game professionally anymore. They were there for him at every turn and protected his privacy to the highest level (we still don't even know the full details). For him to come back and skate in 33 very mediocre to poor games and then play hardball on the term of his deal after being so uncertain about his future just months is nothing short of shocking. To me personally that shows a distinct lack of gratitude and awareness for how he was treated here. Yes, I agree that he has every right to do so, but I can also very much see how that put off some/most of the higher ups here (and around the league for that matter).

Agreed. He signed a contract and didn't perform the service he was supposed to. The team was very gracious to him. He doesn't have to reciprocate, but it says something about him if he doesn't.

If we could get Kylington back at low money.

He overplayed his hand and now has few NHL options IMO.

If he tries to get a deal on a PTO we're talking league minimum territoriy

So I think the Flames should offer a 1 year for $1.25 million or 2 year for $2.5 million (1.25 AAV)

Perhaps some performance bonuses in there if he gets 30 points or plays 70 games.

Then if he has a decent year we deal him with retention at the deadline for picks.

At this point I think he has to be regretting his course of action. For me it's quite clear he is a pretty risky signing for anyone. I honestly wouldn't take him back at league minimum now and I was way higher on him than most people here before he even broke out in 21-22. His play last season was that of a clearly bottom pairing defenseman and he missed more than a year and a half. Give his minutes to young guys and move on.

 

[Rubi]

I don't necessarily agree - especially in this case.

The Flames paid out 4M to this player to sit at home and deal with his struggles while he pondered if he wanted to play the game professionally anymore. They were there for him at every turn and protected his privacy to the highest level (we still don't even know the full details). For him to come back and skate in 33 very mediocre to poor games and then play hardball on the term of his deal after being so uncertain about his future just months is nothing short of shocking. To me personally that shows a distinct lack of gratitude and awareness for how he was treated here. Yes, I agree that he has every right to do so, but I can also very much see how that put off some/most of the higher ups here (and around the league for that matter).

We all have the right to do a lot of questionable things in our lives. That doesn't mean they are the "right" things to do. IMHO Kylington f***ed up.

 

[Tofveve]

Such a strange situation, still. This thread was started in 2017 and we're still navigating this career like Sherlock Holms wirh dashes of Scrooge McDuck and Sigmund Freud.

He played well coming back last season but I was never enamored nor bullish like many here. Yet he played decently and I hope for the best. Lots of mental and emotional energy invested around a player proven as he is so far and at his age. But may good things happen.

 

[NinjaTurtle]

A little shocked that he did not re-sign with Flames before July 1st with everything both sides have gone through.

I wonder if he was a low cost, high reward option for Colorado before they snagged Brannstrom dirt cheap.

At this stage of the summer, most guys left end up with PTOs.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Trying to nickel and dime him, because ownership believe he was paid money already for his services, makes no sense. That was a decision by management. It’s a sunk cost that has already been paid. Absolutely stupid to lose a second pair D because of pettiness. But not surprising when you consider Murray Edwards’ history.

It would be kinda funny if Treliving snapped him up to play with Tanev but I’m not sure he’s that smart.

 

[Rubi]

Trying to nickel and dime him, because ownership believe he was paid money already for his services, makes no sense. That was a decision by management. It’s a sunk cost that has already been paid. Absolutely stupid to lose a second pair D because of pettiness. But not surprising when you consider Murray Edwards’ history.

It would be kinda funny if Treliving snapped him up to play with Tanev but I’m not sure he’s that smart.

Nickel and dime him? I doubt that's the truth at all. Right now the Flames aren't quite sure what they have in Kylington and any contract longer than 1 year is a gamble. It's not like he broke his leg and now that its healed its stronger than ever. And at age 27 and after playng just 200 nhl games and only 33 in the past two years does he really deserve a raise? Sounds like he wanted a raise and longer term than the Flames are willing to gamble on... and lets not kid ourselves... signing Kylington to anything longer than 1 year is a gamble. Mental health relapses happen all the time.
As far as I'm concerned I wont lose a wink of sleep if the Flames close the door on Kylington. He over played his hand.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Hilarious. OK was paid $4mil not to do his job for 18 months. Four freakin million. The Flames could have suspended him, but didnt. What a victim.

Lol Kylington should have been paid about 15-17 million over that span to do his job. Literally a better player than Hanifin, Andersson, Weegar. 4 million out of that is what, two months of the season out of what he was worth? He gave us 33 games which is about 4 million worth.

You think the Flames didn't know they were grossly underpaying him when they were so accommodating to his issue? Because they knew they had him on a lowball deal and they were hardly competing for a Cup with Gaudreau, Bennett, and Tkachuk gone (and by the time he returned, Lindholm, Hanifin, and Tanev were already on the out too).

The Flames tried to take advantage of a situation that conveniently gave them a semi-legitimate excuse to lowball him again. You are a sheep if you think one mediocre year by Sharangovich deserved 5x5 while Kylington's elite year getting him 2x2 was some kind of favor to the player.

And guess what, it was the Flames who signed the 2x2 knowing they'd be losing their de facto #1 defenseman in two years time if they didn't pony up.

Let's call a spade a spade, the Flames were in a lose lose situation the minute they signed Kylington to a two year deal making 3rd pair money while expecting top pair dominance from him. I wouldn't be surprised if that was part of why he sat out and let the entire team collapse in on itself as guys like Hanifin and Weegar were unable to do half of what he did, resulting in Huberdeau's steep decline.

Imagine having a top pair defenseman, paying him like shit and then feeling entitled to re-signing him at the conclusion of his deal because he was battling mental health issues, all because you pair him what should have been two months salary

 

[Volica]

Trying to nickel and dime him, because ownership believe he was paid money already for his services, makes no sense. That was a decision by management. It’s a sunk cost that has already been paid. Absolutely stupid to lose a second pair D because of pettiness. But not surprising when you consider Murray Edwards’ history.

It would be kinda funny if Treliving snapped him up to play with Tanev but I’m not sure he’s that smart.

I don't think this was a nickel and dime thing; if the bridge was just money I think that this would have been done already.
I think the issue was term; with him missing over 100 games over the past two years I don't think the team was ready to give him 3-4-5 years on a deal.

When Kylington came back, I'm not sure you could call him a second pairing D; his play was replacement level and couldn't find any mesh outside of playing 14 minutes a night with Brayden Pachal. Especially once we moved off the much inferior Hanifin; and Tanev and he was asked to do more (18-19minutes a night). He's three years removed from that phenomenal year with Tanev, and outside of that 70some odd games his play can be described as depth or replacement level.

Like, the split of with and without Oliver on every D he played with this season favoured the without. Even Pachal performed better on the ice when he wasn't with Oliver.

Really don't think Toronto would need him. They'll line Rielly up beside Tanev; and all of a sudden Rielly will be known as one of the best shutdown defenders in the NHL statistically Esa Lindell and Tanev made a 60% shot ownership pairing. Rielly and Tanev will probably do the same if not better.

 

[Double Dion]

Lol Kylington should have been paid about 15-17 million over that span to do his job. Literally a better player than Hanifin, Andersson, Weegar. 4 million out of that is what, two months of the season out of what he was worth? He gave us 33 games which is about 4 million worth.

You think the Flames didn't know they were grossly underpaying him when they were so accommodating to his issue? Because they knew they had him on a lowball deal and they were hardly competing for a Cup with Gaudreau, Bennett, and Tkachuk gone (and by the time he returned, Lindholm, Hanifin, and Tanev were already on the out too).

The Flames tried to take advantage of a situation that conveniently gave them a semi-legitimate excuse to lowball him again. You are a sheep if you think one mediocre year by Sharangovich deserved 5x5 while Kylington's elite year getting him 2x2 was some kind of favor to the player.

And guess what, it was the Flames who signed the 2x2 knowing they'd be losing their de facto #1 defenseman in two years time if they didn't pony up.

Let's call a spade a spade, the Flames were in a lose lose situation the minute they signed Kylington to a two year deal making 3rd pair money while expecting top pair dominance from him. I wouldn't be surprised if that was part of why he sat out and let the entire team collapse in on itself as guys like Hanifin and Weegar were unable to do half of what he did, resulting in Huberdeau's steep decline.

Imagine having a top pair defenseman, paying him like shit and then feeling entitled to re-signing him at the conclusion of his deal because he was battling mental health issues, all because you pair him what should have been two months salary

What? Did you just say Kylington is a better player than Hanifin, Andersson and Weegar? You can't be serious. He was a top 4 defenseman in 21-22. He most definitely wasn't last year and he was never a top pairing defenseman like those guys. Hanifin just signed a 50M contract in a top destination. Kylington won't even get a 5M contract.

 

[Rubi]

Lol Kylington should have been paid about 15-17 million over that span to do his job. Literally a better player than Hanifin, Andersson, Weegar...

I stopped reading after after the first two lines. Ridiculous hot take.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Trying to nickel and dime him, because ownership believe he was paid money already for his services, makes no sense. That was a decision by management. It’s a sunk cost that has already been paid. Absolutely stupid to lose a second pair D because of pettiness. But not surprising when you consider Murray Edwards’ history.

It would be kinda funny if Treliving snapped him up to play with Tanev but I’m not sure he’s that smart.

Nickel and dime him? Why hasn't he signed elsewhere then? The Flames (and clearly every other NHL team) didn't want to give term to a player that sat out of their lineup for 20+ months while he decided if he still wanted to play hockey. That sounds more than fair to me. Conroy stated that they made a fair offer and I see no reason not to believe him.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

What? Did you just say Kylington is a better player than Hanifin, Andersson and Weegar? You can't be serious. He was a top 4 defenseman in 21-22. He most definitely wasn't last year and he was never a top pairing defenseman like those guys. Hanifin just signed a 50M contract in a top destination. Kylington won't even get a 5M contract.

yawn same kind of argument you people made saying Monahan > Bennett. You are allowed to use your eyes and not just parrot the company line

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I love me some OKG hot takes, however the correct version of the statement is "Kylington had greater potential than..." those guys. I've been on that bandwagon since he was drafted.

Unfortunately due to the usual reasons (the Flames never ever mis-manage young players, ever, in their history), along with this specifically unique and unusual circumstance, that potential is not as likely to be realized now and he is the player that he is. That's going to happen from time to time.

I'll be disappointed if he moves on, but not going to feel any ill will to either side, nobody's wrong here.

Except if he signs with the Oilers, then he's dead to me.

 

[Double Dion]

yawn same kind of argument you people made saying Monahan > Bennett. You are allowed to use your eyes and not just parrot the company line

Huh? You have me confused with someone else. I always preferred Bennett. Kylington gave up 3.4GA per 60 last year playing below average competition. The notion that somehow he's better than 3 top pairing defenseman seems hard to justify offensively given he gets less than half of any of their points and goals. Sometimes your posts are counter to the narrative and good. You're just wrong on this one. It's hard to believe someone could even think that and have watched the player.

A cup winning NHL GM gave up multiple futures and a 50M contract to Hanifin. Kylington is sitting there trying to get #5 money and can't from 32 GMs. Are you really arrogant enough to think that you are smarter than the numbers and 32 GMs. The numbers are wrong, the GMs are wrong but OKG is right?

I love me some OKG hot takes, however the correct version of the statement is "Kylington had greater potential than..." those guys. I've been on that bandwagon since he was drafted.

Unfortunately due to the usual reasons (the Flames never ever mis-manage young players, ever, in their history), along with this specifically unique and unusual circumstance, that potential is not as likely to be realized now and he is the player that he is. That's going to happen from time to time.

I'll be disappointed if he moves on, but not going to feel any ill will to either side, nobody's wrong here.

Except if he signs with the Oilers, then he's dead to me.

Greater potential perhaps. Although in the case of Hanifin I think even that would be a hot take. Hanifin was drafted with "bigger Niedermeyer" comparisons.