Rory Kerins’ time with the Calgary Flames – at least for now – has come to an end. The Flames announced on Monday (Jan. 27) morning that he had been re-assigned to the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League (AHL).
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Kerins’ first NHL stint was a short one. The 5-foot-10 forward was recalled by the Flames on Jan. 10, and made his NHL debut three days later. It was a successful one, as he had two assists in a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. He wound up picking up a point in two of his next four games, but was benched for the third period in a win over the Buffalo Sabres last Thursday, and sat out each of the past two games as a healthy scratch.
Kerins Did Everything Asked of Him
The Flames organization didn’t seem to be all that high on Kerins entering training camp this past fall, as he was assigned to the AHL before playing in a single preseason game. That came as a bit of a surprise given that he’d recorded 16 goals and 32 points in 54 games with the Wranglers as a 21-year-old in 2023-24.
Kerins’ scoring didn’t just continue with the Wranglers this season but improved dramatically. Prior to being called up, he led the AHL with 21 goals through just 34 games. It felt like only a matter of time before he was given a shot with the Flames, and was finally able to get that opportunity earlier this month.
The issue with Kerins is that while he provides offence, other areas of his game are lacking. He’s undersized and not a physical player, and his defensive details need some work. The thought was that in order to stay in the Flames lineup, he would need to produce. He did just that, which makes Monday’s demotion rather confusing.
Had you told the Flames prior to his call-up that he’d have four points through his first five games, they likely would have imagined that he would remain on the roster moving forward. After all, this is a team that struggles to score goals, making his contributions all the more impressive. He had yet to find the back of the net, but was creating chances offensively, and had seemed to find good chemistry with Jakob Pelletier.
Though Kerins is used primarily as a centreman in the AHL, the Flames were playing him on the wing during this recent recall. Head coach Ryan Huska did tell reporters that he’d like to try him down the middle, though that never came to fruition. Instead, they called up 28-year-old Clark Bishop, and have had him centering the fourth line.
The decision to keep Bishop on the roster and send Kerins back down is a rather confusing one. Bishop too was benched for the entire third period of what was his season debut versus the Sabres, and while he has managed a goal in the three games he’s played, it’s clear that he doesn’t have the offensive abilities that Kerins possesses. At 28, it’s also fair to assume he’s hit his ceiling as a player, while Kerins still has plenty more room to grow. Many would be in agreement that it would make more sense for the Flames to continue giving the younger player a shot in what is a retooling stage.
Kerins Used to Facing Adversity
While the decision to demote Kerins likely puzzled him as much as it did Flames fans, he’s proven throughout his career he can handle adversity. He wasn’t selected until the sixth round of the 2020 Draft, and wound up spending the 2022-23 season in the ECHL. Rather than moping around, he continued to put in the work and was able to finally reach his ultimate goal earlier this month.
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This decision, while a questionable one, is something that Kerins can use as further motivation going forward. Should he continue to fill the net in the AHL, we may very well see him back in a Flames sweater before the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
