Report: Kylington Coming To North America
By Ryan Pike
8 years agoIf you believe either AIK Hockey’s website or Swedish news outlet Expressen, Oliver Kylington is coming to North America next season regardless of whether he makes the Calgary Flames roster or not.
A Google translation of a pair of articles from Sweden seem to indicate that Kylington will be loaned to the Flames fully rather than having to balance his rights in North America with AIK’s rights. This does presume that Google’s translations are reasonably accurate, though.
From AIK’s site (via Google Translate), a quote from general manager Anders Gozzi:
Oliver did a very good camp and it opened the doors for him to reach the NHL right now. Me and Roger have talked to each other and we do not stop Oliver from the opportunity he has been given. We wish him all the luck rather than now when he will try to play for a place in Calgary, comments Anders Gozzi about why they choose to let Oliver.
Expressen’s Hannah Boman also reported that AIK is releasing Kylington from his contractual commitments. She quoted Kylington’s agent, who indicated that AIK had right of refusal for Kylington to play in North America. But given the uncertainty about Kylington’s status and the fact that the European season begins in August – two months earlier than North America’s – AIK probably just wanted some stability, both for them and the player.
So pencil him in with either the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL – if either of their imports (Rihards Bukarts and Ivan Provorov) leave – or the Stockton Heat of the AHL. That is, of course, presuming he doesn’t leap straight to the NHL.
For the curious: Kylington’s entry-level deal only kicks in if he plays 10+ NHL games next season. Otherwise, it’s a contractually-free season of development.
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