Colorado Avalanche
Carolina Hurricanes Sign Two Former Avs to PTOs
Two veterans that were traded away by the Avalanche at last year’s trade deadline are joining the Carolina Hurricanes for training camp.
* puts vacation on pause to tell you that *
The #Canes have signed defenseman Oliver Kylington and forward Givani Smith to professional tryouts (PTOs).https://t.co/LNgaUddwsR
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) August 27, 2025
Defenseman Oliver Kylington and forward Givani Smith signed professional tryouts with the Hurricanes on Wednesday, allowing them an opportunity to attend camp and fight for a contract and a spot in the lineup.
Kylington, 28, was an early August free agent signing for Colorado last season. He was one of those players coming off of a rough couple of years but was loaded with talent and potential. Things didn’t end up working out with him and the Avalanche.
He dressed in just 13 games for the Avs and six more after getting dealt. On the ice, Kylington struggled with consistency at both ends of the ice and off the ice, injuries kept him on the shelf for large parts of the season. He finished with a goal and two assists.
Read More: Avalanche Will Be Spotlighted on National Broadcasts 17 Times in 2025-26
Kylington was a contract throw-in by Colorado in the blockbuster deal that sent Calum Ritchie and a first-round pick to the New York Islanders for second-line center Brock Nelson. He was traded again the next day to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations.
Smith, 27, was also traded twice in 2024-25. The Avs acquired him from San Jose in December in a massive deal that brought Mackenzie Blackwood to Colorado and sent Alexandar Georgiev and Nikolai Kovalenko the other way. Smith played seven games for the Avalanche and six for the Eagles in the AHL, and wasn’t a factor for either squad.
On deadline day, Smith was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in a one-for-one trade for Erik Johnson.
If either of these two make the Canes regular season roster I’d be stunned. Smith is an AHL player all the way. And Kylington is cooked as an NHL regular. The guy is still hanging around & getting opportunities based off one good year playing alongside Chris Tanev. Other than that when he hasn’t been hurt or in player assistance he’s been awful. Last year in the games he did play for the Avs. He looked like a guy who legitimately didn’t know how to play his position. Some of the worst positional defensive play I’d seen this side of… Read more »
Calvin Smith is pure garbage