Will Bruins Claim D Oliver Kylington On NHL Waivers?

The Boston Bruins may lose a former first round pick on NHL waivers if 2015 15th pick overall Zach Senyshyn via waivers by noon today but could they pick up the left-shot defenseman they’ve been coveting not just this offseason but even back to the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline?

Boston Hockey Now has learned that the Boston Bruins do have interest in left-shot defenseman Oliver Kylington, who got drafted by the Flames 45 picks after Senyshyn at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Kylington was placed on waivers at noon on Monday. According to a well-placed source, the Bruins have liked Kylington going back to the 2015 Draft and recently inquired about his status in Calgary. There’s no guarantee the Bruins will jump on him but there was plenty of chatter Monday and Monday night linking the Bruins to Kylington. 

If the Bruins claim him on NHL waivers, Kylington, 23, will cost the Bruins $787,000 against the $81.5 million cap. Currently, the Boston Bruins have $3.6 million in cap space but that could change depending on what happens by Tuesday at noon. Kylington has five goals and ten assists in 87 NHL games with the Flames. 

As of 9:15 PM ET Monday night, the Boston Bruins hadn’t lost Senyshyn or any of the other four players they placed on NHL waivers Monday at noon. Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney also hadn’t claimed any of the record number of NHL players that hit the waiver wire Monday thanks to the taxi squads all 31 NHL teams can carry for the 2021 NHL regular season.

In addition to Senyshyn and Kylington, there were some other interesting names that got waived Monday. Detroit Red Wings forward Evgeni Svechnikov, Montreal Canadiens forward Corey Perry, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Samuel Morin, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Luke Schenn, New York Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey, former Pittsburgh Penguins first round pick and defenseman Derrick Pouliot, and Vancouver Canucks and former Boston Bruins forward Loui Eriksson.

Svechnikov may have been the most surprising considering he was taken just four picks after Senyshyn at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. While the Bruins may have and still could look into the 24-year-old Svechnikov, who one NHL scout said to Boston Hockey Now Monday night, ‘could still be top 6 caliber’ as a secondary scoring solution, one has to believe they’re focused on the defensemen listed above. 

The Boston Bruins are definitely full speed ahead with their youth movement on defense but they also know they need experience and more puck-moving skill and offense on the left side. That’s why they have been looking for depth there for so long and even more so since they lost defensive mainstays Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug to NHL Free Agency. Sweeney has scoured the NHL Free Agent and NHL Trade markets but so far either come up empty or been gunshy due to cap restraints, or both. 

They definitely couldn’t be blamed if they took a shot on the 31-year-old Schenn, who was drafted fifth overall at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and just had a solid 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs helping the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup. Schenn would also only carry an $800,000 cap hit.

However, chances are, the source is right in speculating that with not just prior interest but with such giant question marks on the left side of his blue line, Sweeney is looking into Kylington. It wouldn’t shock anyone if he also took a flier on Pouliot (8th overall, 2012), and Morin (13th overall, 2013) who are also a left shot. Pouliot, 26, and Morin, 25, carry a $700,000 cap hit. 

Pouliot has eight goals and 40 assists in 202 games playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, and the St. Louis Blues. Meanwhile, Morin has unfortunately been cursed by injury, with two ACL surgeries, and only played six NHL games in four NHL seasons.