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“It was enjoyable.”
That’s what everybody hoped to listen to from Oliver Kylington on Thursday evening.
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For the primary time since Might 2022, Kylington performed a recreation {of professional} hockey when he took to the ice within the Calgary Wranglers’ 3-2 win over the Ontario Reign on the Saddledome.
The 26-year-old has been open about his have to give attention to his psychological well being whereas he’s been away from the sport, however on Thursday he was again.
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And whereas he’s bought some fine-tuning to do with a few of his particulars, Kylington largely regarded snug taking part in alongside the blokes on the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate.
And he had enjoyable. That’s in all probability an important factor.
“I felt actually relaxed,” Kylington mentioned post-game concerning the build-up to his return. “I belief my instincts and I do know what I can ship, so I simply attempt to belief that and simply have enjoyable on the market.
“I didn’t attempt to paint the image larger than it’s.”
Whereas Kylington didn’t register some extent in Thursday’s recreation, that hardly issues. After a troublesome time away from the ice, everybody in and across the Saddledome was simply pleased to see him taking part in hockey once more.
With brutally chilly temperatures exterior, there was a small crowd on the rink. However they made their voices heard when Kylington took to the ice throughout warmups.
He acquired the loudest ovation of anybody when he was introduced as a starter pre-game, too.
And when he tore down the best aspect of the ice and used his still-impressive velocity to chop in the direction of the online and fireplace a shot on the Reign internet early within the second interval, the group was suitably awed.
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“I assume my legs nonetheless work,” Kylington mentioned concerning the play. “It felt good.
“I’ve been working onerous off the ice and with the coaches, but it surely’s all the time totally different once you play a recreation, proper? I simply tried to maintain it easy from the start after which I felt the sport got here to me a bit of bit faster. I felt fairly good for a primary recreation.”
Kylington actually regarded good.
Wranglers head coach Trent Cull had him on the ice for the very first shift, gave him time on the power-play and gave him a number of ice time all through Thursday’s contest.
Kylington was credited with one shot and a penalty, however had a number of moments the place he used his velocity to create openings.
“I assumed he had a very good recreation,” Cull mentioned. “All-round stable, skated effectively, head on the puck, I assumed he was good in d-zone protection. Watching stay, I assumed it was a very good efficiency from him.
“I assumed he regarded snug. I noticed a couple of smiles on the bench there a bit of bit and he was stable on the power-play.”
What comes subsequent for Kylington? That’s a query for an additional day.
He’s been working onerous to get again to the purpose the place he’s capable of play, and whereas he regarded like he belonged on the market on Thursday, it could take a while earlier than he’s again as much as NHL velocity.
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The Flames would certainly like to have the defenceman who scored 9 objectives and added 22 assists whereas being plus-34 in 2021-22 again within the combine, however Kylington shall be given time to work on his recreation. There’s no rush right here.
Thursday wasn’t a primary step in the direction of a return. It took loads of steps to get right here. Nevertheless it was an enormous one.
And Kylington genuinely did appear to have loads of enjoyable.
It was good to be again, and people cheers from the group? They didn’t go unnoticed.
“It was good,” Kylington mentioned. “The fanbase right here in Calgary and simply individuals across the metropolis, they’ve been so good and supportive once I’ve bumped into them. I admire all of the assist, I actually do.”
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