Flames defenceman learns hard lesson in free agency

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Liam McCormick
August 11, 2024 (12:48)

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Earlier this week, former Flames defenceman Olivier Kylington signed a one year, $1M deal with the Colorado Avalanche, a much different contract than he expected.

Kylington was earning $2.5M on his last contract with the Calgary Flames, and both parties were interested in a deal to keep him with the team. The problem is Kylington was simply asking for much more than any team was willing to give him. According to the Hockey News, Oliver Kylington was reportedly asking for multiple years term on his contract and a salary similar to his last deal.

However, after only playing 33 games on his last two year contract, there weren't any teams willing to commit to Kylington. Calgary was willing to give him either money or term, but not both. Kylington decided to leave the Flames to push his luck in free agency, and only found practically a league-minimum contract. Now, he'll have to prove himself in a new organization, and he likely left millions on the table in Calgary.

The truth is no team was going to give a player who was able to fulfil less than a quarter of his previous contract any more than the team that had been nurturing his growth. Kylington's representatives should have known that.

Kylington missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season in the Player Assistance Program for mental health reasons, and only was able to return for 33 games last year. He looked fine, but the reality is now that the 27 year old defender is multiple years removed from his breakout year in 2021-22. Kylington's shown flashes of elite offensive ability from the blue line and could be a promising player, but the history is so limited that NHL teams are being very cautious.

Even though he's on a prove-it contract, the Colorado Avalanche will be a great team for Kylington to rebuild his career. He'll be able to play alongside a quality defence core on a playoff team with offensive ability, which he may be able to parlay into another contract next season.

Source: The Hockey News

How Former Flames Defenceman's Gamble Backfired in Free Agency