Avalanche, defenseman Oliver Kylington agree to one-year deal

The Colorado Avalanche added depth to its defense corps, signing veteran defenseman Oliver Kylington to a one-year contract, the team announced Monday afternoon.

Kylington shoots left and is a low-risk, high-reward signing with his deal coming in at $1.05 million, a league source confirmed to The Denver Post.

The 27-year-old returned to the Calgary Flames midseason last winter following a year-and-a-half absence for personal reasons, which he attributed to mental health issues tied to his family. He recorded eight points (three goals, five assists) in 33 games and was named one of three finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance and sportsmanship.

Selected in the second round of the 2015 NHL draft by the Flames, Kylington has 55 points (17 goals, 38 assists) in 201 games in the NHL. His best season came before his extended absence in 2021-22, when he accumulated 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) over 73 games alongside Chris Tanev in the Flames’ second pairing. A native of Stockholm, Sweden, he has three points in 12 playoff games.

Kylington is a candidate to replace Sean Walker as the team’s fifth defenseman, along with offseason additions Erik Brannstrom and Calvin de Haan and holdover Sam Malinski.