Flames waive Justin Kirkland for AHL re-assignment

A third-round pick (No. 62 overall) of the Nashville Predators in the 2014 NHL Draft, Kirkland never played for his draft club. The 6’3″ centre originally signed with the Flames in 2019 after being non-tendered by the Predators as a pending RFA.

Kirkland established himself as a high-end AHL contributor with the Stockton Heat over his first three seasons in the Flames organization, playing an instrumental role in Stockton’s wildly successful 2021-22 season, although he never played a game with the NHL club before signing with the Anaheim Ducks in 2022.

After appearing in seven NHL games with the Ducks in 2022-23 and two more with the Arizona Coyotes in 2023-24, Kirkland returned to the Flames organization as an unrestricted free agent ahead of the 2024-25 season. That year, he drew into 21 games with the Flames as their No. 4 centre, collecting three goals and eight points, before a knee injury prematurely ended his season.

Kirkland re-signed with the Flames to a one-year, $900,000 contract for the 2025-26 season and made the team out of training camp. The Flames waived him in November and sent him to the Wranglers, but recalled him again in December. Now, it appears he’s destined for the AHL once again.

Through exactly 50 games over parts of four seasons with the Ducks, Coyotes, and Flames, Kirkland has collected three goals and 10 points. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent once again upon the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.