Just a few days after receiving his very first NHL callup, Rory Kerins will make his NHL debut for the Calgary Flames when they face off with the Chicago Blackhawks tonight.
Rory Kerins makes his NHL debut tonight in Chicago. Head coach Ryan Huska said it was a matter of when, not if, he’d get into the lineup.
— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) January 13, 2025
Kuzmenko out. Barrie and Miromanov also scratched.
Fourth straight start for Dustin Wolf in net. #Flames https://t.co/91Dr1kQKhh
Playing the kids
The Flames are making good on their promise to play the kids this season. Kerins joins Matt Coronato, and Jakob Pelletier as AHL standouts who are getting a real shot to play in the NHL. Hopefully Kerins can translate what has been a remarkable season for the Calgary Wranglers into a full-time NHL job with the big club.
He’ll play on the Flames’ third line with Yegor Sharangovich and Pelletier.
Kerins’ unorthodox NHL journey
The Kerins story is a good one that Flames fans will remember for a long time, especially if he sticks in the NHL.
Kerins was drafted in the covid-shortened season after his draft-eligible OHL year was cut short. It was a tough year for scouting and player evaluation because of the short year, and it was even worse the following season when the entire OHL calendar was cancelled.
However, Kerins came back for his final OHL season in 2021-22 and put up an insane 43 goals and 118 points in 67 games for the Soo Greyhounds. He was added to the playoff roster for the AHL’s Stockton Heat after the Greyhounds were eliminated, too.
Unfortunately, he was sent to the ECHL the following year because the Wranglers had way too many bodies up front, and looked to be a long shot to make the NHL at any point. But, Kerins did exceptionally well in the ECHL, a notoriously difficult league to succeed in due to its unpredictability and more chaotic style of play. With 17 goals and 37 points in 38 games, Kerins flew a bit under the radar.
The next season, he was one of the first cuts in training camp and played the full season with the Wranglers in the AHL. He had a solid year with 16 goals and 32 points in 54 games. He used that season of development well, as he’s put up 21 goals and 34 points in only 34 AHL games this year.
Kerins was named to the AHL all-star game, and currently sits fourth overall in points, and first overall in goals in the entire AHL.
Congratulations to Rory on the callup!
