The Calgary Flames have announced that they have sent rookie Rory Kerins back down to the Calgary Wranglers, ending his audition with the team for the time being. Through his five-game stint, the forward had four assists. Not bad for his first NHL look.
What’s next for Kerins?
While his production was really good through five games, his underlying numbers simply weren’t there. Kerins was underwater in shot attempts and scoring chances, making him a bit of a liability on the ice. However, these numbers are skewed by a small sample size and by a bad final game in the NHL, which saw him not see the ice for the back half of the game.
What Kerins did bring to the table that was not tested meaningfully in the NHL was his ability at centre, which is a skill the team desperately needs currently. Perhaps the team didn’t like what they saw in him at practice and decided the risk wasn’t worth it with how the team is playing currently, but they do need to find a stronger centreman than Kevin Rooney and it’s hard to believe that one of the AHL’s leading scorers is not good enough to play six to nine sheltered minutes a night at the NHL level.
However, the Flames thought otherwise and sent Kerins back to the Wranglers with a few extra dollars in his pocket and an appreciation for what is needed to make it at the next level. This is a chance for Kerins to go down to the AHL, implement the items the coaching staff worked on with him, and show that he deserves another look.
It’s more common for a prospect to get a few NHL looks before jumping up full-time, as was seen with Matt Coroonato, Jakob Pelletier, and so many before them. For Kerins, who has played in the ECHL, AHL, and NHL in the last two years, hopefully, this send-down is an opportunity for him to push even harder for a full-time role in the NHL before the end of the year.
