‘I was pretty speechless’: Kirkland’s comeback story earns Flames’ Masterton nod
Justin Kirkland’s comeback story helped set the underdog tone in Calgary this season. It’s just part of the reason he was named as the Flames’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, writes Eric Francis.
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CALGARY — For a lad who is just four months into a nine-month recovery from knee surgery, good news of any kind is cherished.
So when Justin Kirkland was informed he was Calgary’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, he was understandably overwhelmed.
“Finding out, I was pretty speechless,” said the Calgary Flames centre of an award given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
“And then when I had the time to sit down and reflect, it’s amazing from two years ago to where I’m at now. I always believed in myself, but I didn’t know that I’d ever get to this point.
“So, to get nominated for an award like this is definitely special, and hits close to home.”
Kirkland’s story helped set the underdog tone in Calgary this season when he made good on an early-season call-up by scoring his first NHL goal following a five-stop, eight-season journey through the minors.
He was 28 years old.
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He followed up his memorable night in Edmonton on Oct. 13 by scoring on three of four shootout attempts, using the same move every time.
The kid they call “Costco” was quickly becoming as popular as the store’s Kirkland products.
As part of a journey that saw his previous NHL stint in Anaheim cut short by head trauma suffered in a serious car accident on the way to the rink in 2023, he was savouring all the spoils that come with it.
He even got an offer from Costco to partner up on a charitable endeavour.
But just as he was finally establishing himself as an NHL regular, he was dealt another cruel blow when he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in late November.
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“Having a taste of it, and settling into a role here, to all of sudden the season is over and that’s your new reality … it’s definitely a lot to process,” said the Winnipeg native.
“It’s still a challenge, even right now.
“It’s been such a rollercoaster of emotions from the start of the season. Up until this point, there are still good days and still bad days.
“I keep reminding myself of those good times, and that’s the continuing driving factor for me is, ‘Yeah, this is going to be a long process, but having a taste of it, that’s exactly to where I want to get back to.’”
Rehabbing regularly with teammate Anthony Mantha has helped him through another arduous road back to the NHL, as has the support of his wife, parents and sister.
An unrestricted free agent at season’s end, he’s hoping to re-sign in Calgary so he can pick up where he left off.
“This is where I want to be, it feels like home,” he said.
“My wife and I have made this our off-season home. Hopefully, something works out as I’d love to continue being a full-time Flame.”
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Given the nod by the Calgary chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, Kirkland will vie for the award with nominees from the 31 other teams.
Speaking of a little taste, Kirkland was recently able to make good on his day at a local Costco, which included serving up samples as part of a charitable visit.
His name tag read, simply, “Costco.”
“I got the full employee experience for the day, doing everything from stocking shelves to greeting people to packing groceries and handing out samples,” he said with a laugh.
“It was a lot of fun and we got to do it for a good cause, for a little donation to charity, which made it even more special.”
Asked if he was recognized, he suggested the bevy of cameras following him around likely had more to do with it.
“There was some recognition, which was cool — I haven’t really gone through a whole lot of that in my career,” he said.
“So you have fun with it, and I got to meet some great people.
“I got a coupon for a free hot dog, so I will be cashing that in.”
