Calgary Flames sign Jonathan Aspirot and Justin Kirkland to one-year contracts

Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy announced that the club has signed defenseman Jonathan Aspirot and forward Justin Kirkland to one-year, two-way contracts.

Aspiriot’s contract will pay him an average annual value (AAV) of $775,000.

Aspirot spent the 2023-24 campaign with the Flames’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Calgary Wranglers where he notched a career-high six goals and 27 assists for 33 points in 66 games last season. Aspirot led all Wranglers defensemen in points and tied a team-high six-game point streak with Matthew Coronato. He also logged one goal and three points in six Calder Cup Playoff contests.

The 25-year-old came to Calgary last season after spending four seasons with the Ottawa Senators AHL affiliate the Belleville Senators. Throughout his career so far, Aspirot has tallied 96 points and 268 penalty minutes in 277 AHL games.

Prior to turning pro, the Mascouche, Quebec product spent three years in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Moncton Wildcats.

Meanwhile, Kirkland spent the 2023-24 campaign with the Arizona Coyotes’ AHL affiliate the Tuscon Roadrunners where he collected eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points in 43 games.

Through 408 career AHL games over parts of seven seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals, Stockton Heat, San Diego Gulls and Roadrunners, Kirkland has collected 75 goals and 200 points. Kirkland has appeared in nine NHL games over part of two seasons with Anaheim. He was held scoreless in seven NHL contests during the 2022-23 campaign with the Ducks before being hospitalized as a result of a car accident.

Prior to turning pro, Kirkland spent five seasons with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) where he captured a WHL Championship in 2014-15.