Calgary Flames Move Up To Pick Oliver Kylington
The Calgary Flames continue to reshape their blue line of the future this weekend. First, they shipped a package of three draft picks, including the 15th overall pick in the first round as well as picks 45 and 52 in the second round to the Boston Bruins for Dougie Hamilton.
Next, the Flames used the 53rd overall selection which they had acquired from the Vancouver Canucks for Sven Baertschi at the trade deadline for defenseman Rasmus Andersson of the Barrie Colts. Deciding they weren’t done filling that need, the Flames pulled off another deal to grab a promising young blue liner.
Holding a pair of third round picks, the Flames saw an opportunity late in the second round of today’s draft and sent the 66th and 73rd overall picks to the Canucks for the 60th overall selection. With the 60th pick, Calgary selected Oliver Kylington, a defenseman who has fallen sharply down prognosticators draft lists.
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Kylington, a smooth skating defenseman from Sweden, was once ranked as high as 10th overall in this year’s draft, but had a disappointing season. He began the year in the Swedish Elite League with Farjestad, but was sent down and by the end of the season was playing in Sweden’s Junior league.
Though he was expected to stick in the top league in Sweden, Kylington was still ranked to go in the mid to late first round of the draft, but fell to the second last pick of the second round. He is projected to be an offensive defenseman, and is said to be one of, if not the very best skaters in the entire draft.
Though he was not ready for the Swedish Elite League at the age of 17, Kylington is still a very promising young defenseman and along with Andersson, fills a huge need on the Flames depth chart. It’s impossible to predict where these players will end up, but a 6’0″ defenseman who can skate like the wind is well worth the risk of a late second round selection in my books.
With the additions of Hamilton, Andersson and Kylington, Flames general manager Brad Treliving deserves a lot of praise for improving the fortunes of the Flames back end.