Flames Trade Up, Take Oliver Kylington At 60th Overall

Brad Treliving is not a timid man, it seems.

For the second time in as many days, he made a bold move at the NHL Draft to improve his team. He sent two picks (76th and 83rd) to the Arizona Coyotes for the 60th overall pick, then selected Swedish defender Oliver Kylington.

If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Kylington may be the most fascinating player in this year’s draft. In some circles, he began the season in a battle with Noah Hanifin for the spot of “best player in the draft outside McEichel.” He bounced around a bit this season, going from Farjestads BK of the SHL to AIK of Allsvenskan. He put up good numbers, but consistency was said to be an issue.

That said, he played a regular shift in a pro league at a young age. He’s barely 18 – his birthday was in May – and he’s played 67 games in two really high-end pro leagues. He’s described by scouts as a talented enigma. He’s a great skater – Future Considerations said only Connor McDavid was better in this draft – and at his best, loves to jump into the rush and get involved in the game. So, somewhat like a Swedish T.J. Brodie. at his worst, he’s been criticized as being a bit selfish and disinterested at times.

If he can get it together, wowzers, this could be an absolute steal of a pick.

He’s originally from Stockholm, Sweden and is 6′ and 180 lbs. NHL Central Scouting ranked Kylington 6th among International skaters, while Future Considerations had him ranked 28th overall. If Google Translate works correctly, Kylington is contracted with AIK for the next two seasons, though I’m not sure if there’s an out clause in that deal.

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