Calgary Flames sign fan favourite to cheap one-year contract
The Calgary Flames are kicking off the offseason by extending a fan favourite player.
With the NHL Draft just a few days away, Flames GM Craig Conroy decided to get some housekeeping out of the way. On Monday morning, the organization announced that it has extended forward Justin Kirkland to a one-year deal that carries a cheap cap hit of just $900,000.
Kirkland was such a hit with Flames fans last season that he earned himself the nickname of “Costco” after the store’s in-house brand. The Flames even played on that in the announcement of the signing.
KIRKLAND SIGNATURE š
Justin Kirkland has signed a one-year extension with an AAV of $900,000! #Flames | @original16beer pic.twitter.com/SgHRB2tkjh
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) June 23, 2025
Kirkland appeared in just 21 games with the Flames last season, scoring two goals and eight points in the process. He has spent the majority of the 2024-25 season with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, where he has eight goals and 30 points in 43 games.
While his NHL production may not be eye-popping, he wound up carving himself a pretty good role on the Flames’ fourth line. As the team hopes to take another step forward in their rebuild, getting the 28-year-old locked down to a cheap one-year deal should help them build some depth in the bottom-six.
It has been quite a peculiar road for Kirkland since he was drafted by the Nashville Predators back in 2014. He has spent the “bulk” of his professional career playing in the AHL, with brief NHL appearances with both the Anaheim Ducks and Arizona Coyotes before breaking through in Calgary.
This is his second stint with the Flames, following his signing with the organization in 2019. He spent three seasons playing for the AHL’s Stockton Heat, yet failed to break into a single NHL game.
With a new contract now signed, the hope for Kirkland is to finally spend the majority of a season playing in the NHL.