2. Rory Kerins
At 21 years of age and playing in the ECHL when the season began, absolutely no one had Rory Kerins on their radar a few months ago, but now, after producing four goals and 9 points through his first six games, he’s suddenly a hot topic in Calgary. At 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Kerins isn’t the most physical player, but his skill and grit have made him into a rising star this season, and if it continues, he’s bound to be on the Flames radar, whether that be this season or next.
🚨Rory Kerins GWG!🚨
— Flames Prospects (@BlastyProspects) November 25, 2023
4th of the season for Kerins was the winner on Saturday—He’s got 9 points in 11GP#Flames pic.twitter.com/b657L5p9Kl
Kerins is another example of the Flames potentially finding a gem late in the draft, as he came to Calgary as a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, and after the Ontario native produced 118 points in his final season in the OHL in 2021-22, he’s proven that he can produce at a very high clip. With so much talent in the Wranglers lineup, it’s likely that Calgary may look to keep some of their prospects down there to continue allowing them to dominate and get used to the professional game, so there’s a chance we may not see Kerins this season, but if the Flames want to trust the youth movement, there’s no one better to throw into the fire this year.