Rory Kerins nets the third Wranglers goal of the night off a set up from Dryden Hunt and Martin Frk.
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FN AHL Report Cards: Rory Kerins beat the odds in season of setbacks
Photo credit: Angela Burger/Calgary Wranglers
Jun 7, 2026, 12:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 5, 2026, 01:03 EDT
Rory Kerins represents one of the heartbeats of the Calgary Wranglers team. His story of working his way through the three levels of pro and finding consistency is motivational and resonates with his teammates of all ages. He’s an easy player to root for after a breakout season and all-star accolade in 2024-25. The anticipation was high for him this season and despite some challenges and re-directions, he found a way to deliver.
What were the expectations for Rory Kerins in 2025-26?
Kerins more than established that he was no longer an option in the ECHL. He had earned the right as an AHLer and was knocking on the door for potential NHL opportunities. In the 2024-25 season, Kerins played in 63 Wranglers games, putting up nearly a point per game with 61 total points broken down by 33 goals and 28 assists. Kerins finished last season at the top of the points and goals category for the team. This performance earned him a five game preview with the Flames where he had four assists in that run.
Going into this season, the intrigue was there to see more NHL time for Rory Kerins. It wasn’t 100% solidified where he’d fall in the depth chart and who the Flames would have down the middle to compete with. That meant he’d probably spend a hefty amount of time in the AHL, but he was expected to make some appearances with the Flames.
How did Rory Kerins perform in 2025-26?
Rory Kerins went into this season with the same confidence and swagger he brought last season and proved his performance was the baseline now and not a fluke by any means. He was consistently the top line centre for the team, skating alongside a mix of Martin Frk, Dryden Hunt and William Stromgren. Those forwards were the highest performers throughout the season and all leaned on each other in a complementary way.
Hunt hit a career best year, Frk hit the 30 goal mark as a veteran and Stromgren hit a career high in assists and earned his first NHL look. For Kerins, his goal count went down but his points were pretty on par. He played in 56 games with the Wranglers and put up 22 goals and 35 assists for a total of 57 points. Kerins was on the scoresheet nearly every game with the exception of two stretches of five games that he was held off it. From Dec. 9 to Jan. 2, Kerins tied the team scoring streak record that former Wranglers Jakob Pelletier and Matthew Phillips hold with 11 consecutive games.
Rory Kerins just tied Matthew Phillips and Jakob Pelletier for the longest point streak in team history with this goal. He's up to 11 games now.
Kerins played in fewer games due to a lower body injury in February but worked his tail off and managed to return to the lineup to secure the last Flames call up for four games. This injury was thought to be potentially season ending but Kerins defeated the odds on that one. This stretch out of the lineup especially showed Kerins’ character and commitment to this team. Head Coach Brett Sutter talked about Rory staying very involved in off ice commitments and team meetings. It was like he was still in the lineup. Sutter said back in April:
“He worked really hard to come back. On ice, off ice, being a part of meetings even though he wasn’t going to be in the lineup. He’s a great kid. He’s a really good leader on this team and we missed him. He’s an instant energy in the room and a big impact in every game he’s played.
As soon as he was back in game action, Kerins was instantly a factor. In his first two games back, he had three goals and four assists and was recognized as the AHL player of the week. Rory Kerins was also a part of the leadership group this year as one of the alternate captains and would lead warm-ups for the team. Every single guy in the locker room has nothing but great things to say about Kerins and his leadership.
Rory Kerins rips a bar down shot to put Calgary up 3-2. He's up to two goals and an assist in this game so far
In his last few games with the Flames, he was not as effective as his call up the year prior but still got some touches and limited ice time. It was unfortunate his injury derailed the opportunity to get a longer look at the NHL and test out how his skills can translate.
Kerins echoed the same points as the rest of the leadership about the disappointment over the way the season went for the Wranglers and emphasized how the personalities in the room helped each other get through the lows of the season. Kerins said:
“Obviously not happy with not making the playoffs. I think we had the group to do it. Just didn’t develop like that for this season, I guess. And you know, have some guys injured and claimed off waivers and stuff like that didn’t help. It was a tough year to get through. But luckily, it was fun coming to the rink every day with these guys.”
What’s the future outlook for Rory Kerins?
Rory Kerins signed a one year contract with the Flames going into the season that has now expired. He needed to clear waivers in October and was that close to getting picked up elsewhere. Fortunately for the team, Kerins played another year in Calgary and was noticeably one of their best players for the second season in a row. As far as his personal evaluation goes, there are some things on his mind to help him take that next step over this off-season. Kerins said:
“I think just going into the off-season with the mindset that I’m going to try to make the team next year and just working a lot on speed work and doing things fast with the puck. I think that’s probably the biggest thing for me.”
As it stands now, he’s an RFA that is surely facing a management decision this summer. Kerins is fully baked as an AHL player now and you have to wonder what scenario gives him a fair shot at NHL time to see if he’s indeed ready. His injury prevented a long look in the NHL, so it’s hard to fully evaluate what level best suits him right now. If he is extended, he’d likely be working towards splitting the year between the AHL and NHL to take that next step in his professional development.
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