After a 20-month absence, Oliver Kylington was back in the NHL last night. He was then greeted with a standing ovation by the Calgary crowd.
– It’s touching, of course, he says after the match.
He hadn’t played in the NHL since May 2022. But last night, exactly 20 months after his last NHL game, Oliver Kylington was back in the Calgary Flames lineup in tonight’s game against Columbus.
Kylington sat out all of last season due to mental illness but made a comeback on the ice this past week, playing in form for the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL.
Before the comeback against Columbus, the Swede told in an interview with SVT what kept him away from games. SVT describes it as a ‘deep betrayal by a close family member’.
– When I felt the worst… I felt very bad. I had severe sleep problems, gastritis, a lot of anxiety and was very distracted, he told in an interview with SVT,
“It was touching, of course”
But last night he was back. Kylington received a standing ovation when he was introduced to the lineup before the game.
– It was touching, of course. I wanted to give back, I wanted to show my qualities on the ice. It was my way of giving back. I want to show my best self, he says after the match.
– It was fun. He (coach ryan Huska) didn’t have to have me in the lineup. But it was nice to hear the crowd yelling my name.
TV: Watch the standing ovation
Columbus won the match 5-2. Oliver Kylington played just over 13 minutes, and enjoyed being back in the NHL. He also thanked for all the support he received during the journey back.
– It was nothing I could ever expect. But people have written to me, people applauded me now…It means a lot. But I wanted to win.
Calgary – Columbus 2-5
Calgary: MacKenzie Weegar, Connor Zary
Columbus: Yegor Chinakhov, Damon Severson, Alexandre Texier, Dmitrij Voronkov, Adam Fantilli
