Pospisil has missed the entire season so far due to an undisclosed injury, but Flames general manager Craig Conroy confirmed a report out of Slovakia that there has been positive progress. That\u2019s big news in his home country, too, since the 26-year-old speedster is already named to their Olympic roster.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an encouraging sign that Pospisil once again has a stall in the home locker-room at the Saddledome. When a guy isn\u2019t skating, you won\u2019t spot his gear. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe should start ramping up soon,\u201d Conroy told Postmedia. \u201cI talked to him (Thursday) and he\u2019s feeling better on the ice. So I\u2019m hoping as we get through into probably January, he\u2019ll be back skating with the team. He said he felt good on the ice. No complications. So I think we\u2019re trending in the right direction. There has been a couple setbacks, so I don\u2019t want to say it 100 per cent, but I\u2019m hoping in January he\u2019s starting to be back with the team and then back playing again.<\/p>\n
\u201cThings can change but just talking to him, it sounds like he\u2019s feeling much better.\u201d <\/p>\n
Pospisil exited an Oct. 1 exhibition game and while it was initially believed to be no big deal, he landed on injured reserve to start the season and has been out ever since.<\/p>\n
The Flames haven\u2019t divulged the exact details of what Pospisil has been dealing with. When he broke into the NHL in 2023, he talked openly about his history of concussions in the minors, so the sentiment among fans and well-wishers has been, \u2018Jeez, I hope it\u2019s not a\u00a0head injury.\u2019<\/p>\n
Whatever the nature, the Flames will continue to be cautious and won\u2019t rush his return. Pospisil plays a ferocious style \u2014 he racked up 301 hits last season, a new franchise record \u2014 and has his fair share of enemies around the league, so he\u2019s not one of those guys who can blend in if he\u2019s not feeling his best.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wants to get back playing, and we\u2019d love to have him back sooner than later too,\u201d said Conroy, who signed Pospisil in the summer to a three-year contract extension. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a long period with no setbacks. We\u2019ve been taking our time with it and hopefully in early January, he\u2019s back skating with the team. I don\u2019t know when he\u2019d play, but hopefully once he\u2019s up and ready to go and gets cleared, we\u2019ll get him back out there.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
Kirkland determined to capitalize on call-up <\/p>\n
Justin Kirkland could hardly wait to share the news.<\/p>\n
And he didn\u2019t have to.<\/p>\n
Kirkland\u2019s parents had just arrived for a visit Thursday when he received word that he was being called up by the Flames, back to the big leagues after a five-week stint with the AHL\u2019s Wranglers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had just unpacked their truck, had just got into the house, and all of a sudden I got a text from (assistant general manager) Brad Pascall to give him a call,\u201d Kirkland said with a grin. \u201cSo getting to tell them, along with my wife, was pretty exciting.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nice to have family around when you get that sort of news.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/49d135bec0f8942025e2d5997eeb2ca3.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Calgary Flames forward Justin Kirkland battles Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher at Scotiabank Saddledome on Oct. 22, 2025.<\/p>\n
The timing of Kirkland\u2019s call-up was doubly fortuitous. With the NHL now in the holiday roster freeze, it\u2019s guaranteed that the 29-year-old will be with the big club through Dec. 28. <\/p>\n
Kirkland was set to be scratched for Saturday\u2019s date with the Vegas Golden Knights but should soon enough be tapped for a chance to reclaim his job on the fourth line.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a good penalty-killer. At this level, he\u2019s a strong guy in the faceoff circle. And he has the bigger body,\u201d said Flames coach Ryan Huska of Kirkland, who is also an ace in the shootout. \u201cSo I think he gives us some options, whether we need someone in the middle of the ice or he has the ability to play on the wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo he just does a lot of good things for us. When we asked him to go down, we wanted him to try to get his pace back up again and he has played a lot of games in a short period of time, which has been really good for him and I\u2019m assuming is going to be really good for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
During his demotion, Kirkland mixed five goals and two assists in 14 appearances with the farm team. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was nice to go down and play a lot of minutes in all sorts of different situations,\u201d he said. \u201cI had a lot of puck touches, which makes a big difference. Hopefully, that can translate up here. If and when I get in, I\u2019ll be ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting back up here is exciting and now, it\u2019s just waiting for your opportunity. When that opportunity comes, you try to grab it and run with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ice chips\u00a0<\/p>\n
The final event at the Saddledome before Christmas is Sunday\u2019s Winter Wranglerfest, with Matvei Gridin, Rory Kerins and the Baby Flames hosting the San Diego Gulls in a holiday-themed affair. The puck drops at 2 p.m. and 2,500 gifts will be tossed into the crowd after the home team scores its first goal of the afternoon. <\/p>\n