In a corresponding roster move, Kevin Rooney was placed on injured reserve.
Kirkland is in his second stint with the organization, although he has yet to log a regular-season appearance in the Flaming C logo. He spent three seasons with Calgary’s farm club, then based in Stockton, Calif.
He returns with nine NHL outings on his resume, including a pair with the Arizona Coyotes during the 2023-24 campaign. When the Flames signed Kirkland as a free agent this summer, part of the appeal was his status as one of the AHL’s top faceoff men.
Asked Thursday for an update, Flames coach Ryan Huska told reporters that the 31-year-old Rooney is “doing well.”
“I guess we’d consider him day-to-day now,” Huska said. “He’s still getting looked at a little bit, but he’s doing well. So we’re happy to say that, for sure.”