Flames’ Justin Kirkland out for remainder of 2024-25
The Calgary Flames announced Wednesday that center Justin Kirkland will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
Kirkland sustained the injury early into the opening frame of Friday’s contest versus the Columbus Blue Jackets and has been out of the lineup for the Flames’ two subsequent games. Skating in his first season with the Flames, the journeyman forward had put together a successful start to the 2024-25 campaign, where through 21 appearances he had registered two goals and six assists for eight points.
A 28-year-old native of Winnipeg, Man., Kirkland had previously made nine NHL appearances split between the Anaheim Ducks and the former Arizona Coyotes prior to landing a one-year, two-way contract with the Flames in the offseason.
A 2014 third-round selection by the Nashville Predators, Kirkland’s pro career also includes more than 400 games at the AHL level, counting stops with Milwaukee, Stockton (now Calgary Wranglers), San Diego, and Tucson. Kirkland is a graduate of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, where he spent part of five seasons and helped the club claim the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL playoff champions in 2015.
With Kirkland sidelined, earlier this week the Flames recalled right winger Walker Duehr and left winger Jakob Pelletier from the Wranglers, while also assigning right winger Adam Klapka to the minor-league club.
Of note, Pelletier is a former first-round selection by the Flames, chosen 26th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. After clearing waivers and being assigned to the AHL earlier this season, Pelletier has shined with the Wranglers, where through 20 appearances he sits second in team scoring with 19 points counting three goals and 16 assists.
Pelletier made his season debut with the Flames in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over the Blue Jackets, finishing with one shot in 8:24 of ice time. The Quebec City, Que., native has previously made 37 appearances with Calgary in which he has registered four goals and six assists for 10 points.