Flames re-sign AHL standouts Rory Kerins and Sam Morton

The Flames kept two of their most useful AHL scorers in the fold on June 25, signing Rory Kerins and Sam Morton to one-year, two-way contracts. The move preserved a scoring base for the Calgary Wranglers and kept two forwards who are still close enough to the NHL roster to matter when injuries or recalls create openings.

Kerins is the more established producer. He played four NHL games for Calgary in 2025-26, but his biggest value came in the American Hockey League, where he finished third on the Wranglers with 22 goals and 35 assists. After an injury absence, he closed the season with 12 points over his final six games, a late surge that reinforced why Calgary wanted to keep him in the organization. The decision also fits his broader track record: in 2024-25, Kerins led the Wranglers with 61 points and earned his first AHL All-Star selection.

Morton’s path looks different, but Calgary treated it as just as important. The undrafted forward made his NHL debut at the end of 2024-25, then spent most of 2025-26 in Calgary’s AHL system, appearing in 68 games and producing 38 points. He skated in three NHL games last season, a sign that the organization sees him as more than minor-league fill-in depth. Morton has already handled steady AHL duty, and his usage suggests the Flames still view him as a player who can step into call-up work when the parent club needs support.

Both players signed at an NHL average annual value of $850,000, a price that tells its own story about Calgary’s summer priorities. Rather than strip the Wranglers of offense and search for replacements later, the Flames held onto two forwards who can drive scoring in the AHL while remaining available for NHL duty. For a development system, that kind of retention keeps the competition for call-up roles alive and gives the Wranglers a chance to start the season with proven production instead of rebuilding it from scratch.