By Tony Abbott -
What else can you say at this point but "Playing in the Central Division Sucks".
About Oliver Kylington
Kylington's strength as a defenseman is his skating. Kylington is rated consistently as one of the top skaters in this draft, which enables him to move the puck out of danger and into the offensive zone, where he can create opportunities. In terms of offensive skills, his passing stands out against his shooting (though his shot isn't weak).
Defensively, he's not thought to be spectacular or a liability, which is pretty awesome when you consider he's been playing in the Swedish Elite League since he was 16. What has given scouts concern is inconsistency in his game. His decisions aren't always great, and at times, he can seem unfocused. Your opinion on Kylington as a prospect will likely depend on whether you think his consistency issues are standard from a 17-yo-kid, or red flags signaling a potential bust.
How Would He Fit With the Wild?
The last time the Wild drafted a Swedish defenseman in the first round was 2011, when they selected Jonas Brodin at pick 10. So, I think it's safe to say that the Wild would like a smooth-skating Swedish blueliner.
While organizationally, defense isn't a huge need, it's never a bad idea to have too many good, young defenseman. Furthermore, Kylington's upside means that he's the kind of "home-run swing" impact prospect the Wild are sorely missing in their farm system.
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