Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington releases a public statement

This just in, the Calgary Flames have assigned defenseman Oliver Kylington to the AHL's Calgary Wranglers on a conditioning stint. 

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Kylington hasn't played a game since the 2021-22 season with the Flames. He abruptly left the team prior to the start of the Flames' 2022-23 training camp and returned to his native Sweden to attend to personal matters. He remained in Sweden through the season and did not play hockey at all. He rejoined the Flames for training camp this season but it was announced prior to the start of this season that he was still unable to participate due to ongoing personal matters.

While neither Kylington nor the team confirmed what his personal issues were/are, there was a sentiment around the hockey world that he was struggling heavily with mental health problems. While today's news regarding his assigned to the AHL has to be seen as a positive step forward, the real positivity comes in the form of a personal statement from Kylington himself.

The defenseman confirmed today in a public statement that the Flames have helped him deal with his mental health problems and that he's ready to get back on the ice with his teammates.

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This is fantastic news, not only for Kylington but for the Flames as well. 

This is a team that has struggled mightily with Kylington out of the lineup and his return is likely to provide a boost both on the ice and off the ice. He's a well loved teammate with a bright future ahead of him. Kudos to the Flames for working with this young man to help get his head right so that he can put his full efforts into his profession moving forward.

While I may personally have no insight into Kylington's mental health issues, I think we can all relate to the feeling of needing to take some time to get our heads right. Again, here's hoping that Kylington has done that and kudos to the Flames for helping him along the way. Here's hoping that this ends up a huge success story.