Calgary Flames defenceman Oliver Kylington made his return to hockey back in January after nearly two years away from the ice.
The Flames blueliner, who was absent for the entire 2022-23 season and half of the 2023-24 season due to mental health struggles, is now speaking up.
Issuing a statement on his Instagram account on Monday, the 26-year-old began by thanking Flames fans, who greeted him with a standing ovation in his first game back, for supporting him through trying times.
“Firstly, I want to express my sincere gratitude to you, my fans, my family, and my friends for being with me throughout my journey,” he wrote.
Kylington also revealed that part of his recent mental health challenges have stemmed from childhood trauma.
“Over the last two years, I have begun the journey of dismantling trauma from my past that has been present since my childhood. Trauma that I, myself, didn’t know was there because I did not have the tools to face them,” he added.
The Stockholm, Sweden, native concluded his post by urging others dealing with similar issues to seek help.
“I urge you to seek help, and to work through it. In doing this, you will hopefully, just like me, find peace and be able to get back to the things you cherish in life,” he wrote. “For me, that is HOCKEY.”
Taken by Calgary in the second round (60th overall) of the 2015 draft, Kylington concluded his comeback season with three goals and eight points over 33 games.
Set to become a UFA this summer, he made it clear in his end-of-season media availabilities that his goal is to re-sign with the Flames.
“I want to stay. I like it here,” said Kylington, a top-three finalist for this year’s Masterton Trophy. “I’ll let my agents and the business side of things take care of itself, but I think I’ve been clear about how I like Calgary.”