Justin Kirkland Placed on Waivers

[Reggie Dunlop]

Costco's looking for forklift operators.

[Eric Vail]

Kirkland has been a nice story, but I don't think he ever plays another NHL game. The guy is 29 and coming off a major injury. If he isn't good enough for the 32nd best NHL team, I think he is done. He can hang around the minors for a few more years, but NHL dream is over.

I sure hope they don't bring up Hunt. He turns 30 in a couple weeks, and there is no long term upside to having him here. Kerins is 23 and I think should be the guy. He doesn't have to play on the fourth line. It is not like the guys on the first three lines have cemented themselves into those positions due to great play.

Morton is 26 and there is a chance he could be part of the Flames, but 26 is pretty old to be a prospect. He could be a fourth line centre for a few years - potentially.

Gridin, 19, has the most upside, but his development is probably better served in the AHL.

[Jay Random]

If they call up Kerins, I don't see him slotting at C ahead of Kadri, Backlund, or Frost.

I could see him on a 4th line with some of the surplus wingers who need easier matchups to get off the schneid.

[Zoller]

Morton is a better option than Kerins for the 4th line imo

Any chance Kirkland gets claimed?

[Ped]

Originally Posted by Zoller

Any chance Kirkland gets claimed?

Always a chance cuz GMs are weird, but not likely for a 29-year old with 2 career goals in 39 games, not good enough for the last place team in the league.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

If they call up Kerins, I don't see him slotting at C ahead of Kadri, Backlund, or Frost.

I could see him on a 4th line with some of the surplus wingers who need easier matchups to get off the schneid.

Sharangovich - Kerins - Zary should be getting sheltered minutes as a 4th line right now to try to get them going.

Huberdeau - Frost - Coronato
Farabee - Kadri - Klapka
Honzek - Backlund - Coleman

None of those three lines need to be sheltered IMO, so it allows for the 4th line to be a bit more sheltered to try to get them going and give Kerins some offensive minutes.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Sharangovich - Kerins - Zary should be getting sheltered minutes as a 4th line right now to try to get them going.

Huberdeau - Frost - Coronato
Farabee - Kadri - Klapka
Honzek - Backlund - Coleman

None of those three lines need to be sheltered IMO, so it allows for the 4th line to be a bit more sheltered to try to get them going and give Kerins some offensive minutes.

What do you mean sheltered? For the most part, players like Huberdeau, Frost and Coronato need offensive zone starts to generate any offense for this team at all. Take that away and yikes.

You can try to match them up against other 4th lines I suppose, just won't be getting much ice time.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

There’s a 23 year old on the farm team, who is leading that team in both goals and in assists, and whose body of work includes a 118 pt season in the OHL, an AHL All-Star nod, and 4 pts and +3 in his 5 NHL games.

The fact that he seems to be the underdog to get a call up is just baffling.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

There’s a 23 year old on the farm team, who is leading that team in both goals and in assists, and whose body of work includes a 118 pt season in the OHL, an AHL All-Star nod, and 4 pts and +3 in his 5 NHL games.

The fact that he seems to be the underdog to get a call up is just baffling.

We don’t really know if he’s an underdog or not. He might be next in line.

I haven’t watched him in the AHL this year but his NHL work hasn’t been that impressive. Yes, he racked up some secondary assists in a short stint last year, but outside of that he’s looked pretty slow and ineffective even during that stint and through two training camps. The last two times he’s played at this level he started hot and faded super fast.

I think people just need to trust management here who are watching these players regularly. Similar things were said of Phillips and he proved management right in prioritizing other young players. I haven’t watched the AHL at all this year but I watched it a bunch when Phillips was playing and you could see why, despite the points, he was ultimately going to struggle. Again, no idea what management is seeing nor what their intent is, but I assume there’s a good reason he hasn’t been called up yet. It may just be a lack of spots, or it may be something about the player.

Look at how Zary and Coronato have struggled this year. Much better players around the same age. I’m not sure this is a situation Kerins is going to come in and excel in, but only one way to find out!

[Reggie Dunlop]

Maybe give that Clark Bishop kid a shot.

[Vinny01]

According to Pat and Wes on FlamesTalk it seems like it is going to be Kierans

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

There’s a 23 year old on the farm team, who is leading that team in both goals and in assists, and whose body of work includes a 118 pt season in the OHL, an AHL All-Star nod, and 4 pts and +3 in his 5 NHL games.

The fact that he seems to be the underdog to get a call up is just baffling.

Will he displace Kadri, Frost, or Backlund to center one of the top 3 lines? If not, is he a player suited for a fourth line role?

Or is a lineup just something some AI can slop together by maxing NHLe across 18 skaters?

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

Kirkland has been a nice story, but I don't think he ever plays another NHL game. The guy is 29 and coming off a major injury. If he isn't good enough for the 32nd best NHL team, I think he is done. He can hang around the minors for a few more years, but NHL dream is over.

I think the organization is trying to do right by him with this move. Though he's on a one way contract, there may be a small chance another team claims him.

[Tacoman]

From my own viewings of Wranglers games this year, Morty would be my choice. A little more offensive creativity with Kerins but Morty touches more parts of the game, is better suited to 4th line and still has offense as well.

[CFO]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

From my own viewings of Wranglers games this year, Morty would be my choice. A little more offensive creativity with Kerins but Morty touches more parts of the game, is better suited to 4th line and still has offense as well.

He my choice too and should been the 4th line center on day 1.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by CFO

He my choice too and should been the 4th line center on day 1.

Like someone else said, I think they wanted to give Kirkland this opportunity based on last year and the unfortunate end to his heater.

But I agree. Not a player I would have penciled into the lineup.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I think this is probably Morton's chance here.

Rory Kerins

[mile]

Sounds like Kerins is getting the call-up

https://twitter.com/user/status/1988781891835851058

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Well ####. I can't believe it.

Well deserved!

[Geeoff]

makes sense to bring some offense up from the farm, since we have scored the fewest goals in the NHL