Oliver Kylington named one of three finalists for Bill Masterton Trophy
Trophy winner will be announced at the NHL Awards show in late June.
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Oliver Kylington is on the short list of nominees for the Bill Masterton Trophy.
The NHL announced that the Calgary Flames defenceman was one of the final three players nominated for the annual award on Thursday morning.
Goaltenders Connor Ingram, of the Arizona Coyotes, and Frederik Andersen, of the Carolina Hurricanes, have also been short-listed for the award, which goes to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
The 26-year-old Kylington returned to the Flames in January after spending 20 months away from hockey while he worked through mental health issues.
When Kylington was announced as the Flames’ nominee last month, he spoke candidly about what it meant to him and how much he appreciated being back with the Flames after such a difficult time.
“I feel like I’ve just been appreciating the very small stuff,” Kylington told reporters. “I appreciate hanging out with people that I haven’t seen for a long time, spending time competing with old teammates and new teammates and being back in to an environment I’ve been away from for a long time.”
Kylington spoke several times about the challenges he’d overcome after returning to the Flames but also fit seamlessly back into the lineup. He suited up for 33 games this season, picking up three goals and five assists and seeing his playing time gradually increase.
His openness about what he went through has hopefully inspired others who are dealing with mental health struggles, and that bravery is why many viewed him as an obvious candidate for the prestigious Masterton Trophy.
“I don’t know if I’ve helped people, but I hope maybe that helps people to understand that there’s certain moments in life where there is adversity and that it’s OK to be in it and not flee from it and not do stuff to think it’s just going to vanish,” Kylington said.
Ingram nearly retired due to an undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder and lingering depression before he sought help through the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program in 2021. He emerged as Arizona’s top goaltender this season with a 23-21-3 record, 2.91 goals-against average, .907 save percentage and six shutouts in 50 appearances.
Andersen started the season 4-1-0, then missed 49 games over four months after doctors discovered he had a blood-clotting issue. He posted a 9-1-0 record, 1.30 GAA, .951 save percentage and three shutouts after his return on March 8, helping the Hurricanes finish the season third in the overall standings.
The winner of the Bill Masterton Trophy will be announced at the NHL Awards show in late June.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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