There are a few things we think we know about Calgary Flames forward Justin Kirkland.
The 28-year-old product of scenic Winnipeg, Manitoba is a left shot forward who can play centre or the wing, which provides a nice bit of versatility to wherever he’s playing. He’s built up a really strong reputation as an effective American Hockey League player over his pro career, amassing 200 points on the second rung of hockey’s ladder. And in 18 NHL appearances over three seasons – with Anaheim, Arizona and the Flames – Kirkland has shown some promise.
Suffice it to say, Kirkland is a good hockey player. But the question before Flames management as the clock runs down on Kirkland’s waiver exemption is if he’s an NHL player.
Kirkland cleared waivers on Sept. 30 and was assigned to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. He was summoned from the Wranglers before playing a game on Oct. 11 due to the injury suffered by Kevin Rooney in the Flames’ opener against Vancouver. Kirkland has remained on the big club’s roster, where he’s played nine games and posted a goal and four assists for five points.
Once a player clears waivers, they don’t require waivers again to be sent to the AHL until they’ve cumulatively either played in 10 NHL games or been on the NHL roster for 30 days. Kirkland has played nine games and been on the Flames’ roster for 23 players heading into Sunday. His exemption expires if he plays one more game or is on the roster through Nov. 9 (next Saturday).
Kirkland has been good for the Flames, no doubt. With Rooney injured and Cole Schwindt claimed on waivers by Vegas, the Flames turned to Kirkland to fill in when, to be blunt, they didn’t have a ton of other options. He was given an opportunity, and it’s hard to nitpick how he performed: the only Flames player with more five-on-five points than Kirkland is Rasmus Andersson. Considering Kirkland’s been primarily on the fourth line, playing in situations that don’t lend themselves to offence or point production, he’s performed admirably.
If the Flames think Kirkland isn’t just a player who can play in the NHL, but he’s someone that belongs in the NHL, it’s simple enough to just keep him on the roster and use him as part of the fourth line rotation. He’s a useful player. If they’re not sure, there’s a risk in playing him in a 10th game and then throwing him on waivers; enough teams are starved for useful bottom-six forwards that there’s a risk he’d get claimed, which would further strain the Flames’ centre depth after the loss of Schwindt in October.
If they think Kirkland is an NHLer, they should keep him in the NHL. But they need to be sure, because the organization’s centre depth gets pretty lean if they lose him on waivers.
