Justin Kirkland is a patient man.
Nothing has been given to the 26-year-old former member of the Kelowna Rockets.
Everything has been earned.
Instead of fast-tracking his way to the NHL, the likable Kirkland has taken the slow and steady approach.
When you play 365 games at the American Hockey League level and four in the lower-tiered East Coast League, self-doubt has to come into play on whether you will be given the chance at the elite level.
Fortunately for Kirkland, the NHL came calling this past December while playing in the minors with the San Diego Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks AHL affiliate.
“I’m at the rink getting ready for practice and one of the medical trainers tells me to check my cellphone”, Kirkland speaking with RocketFAN. “I had a couple of text messages from assistant general manager Jeff Solomon asking if I could call him. Am I traded? What’s going on? He told me I was being called up and as of tonight, I would be playing in LA.”
Kirkland, shocked yet elated, quickly participated in a pre-game skate, by himself in San Deigo, before heading back to his apartment, grabbing his hockey bag, and heading out for the two-hour drive north along I-5.
“They told me I would be up for a few days, so pack a bag”, Kirkland continued. “I quickly grabbed lunch, facetimed my mom and dad telling them the good news, and then hit the road.”
In a day that can only be described as chaotic, Kirkland arrived in LA, checked into a hotel, changed into his game-day suit and headed to the Crypto.com Arena.
“As I walked into the arena, every emotion you can think of was running through my mind”, Kirkland describing every detail with precision. “At the end of the day, it was a dream come true.
“It probably helped that I didn’t have a ton of time to sit around and think about it”, Kirkland said honestly. “I couldn’t stress about it and worry about it. It was nice. On the drive up I had a chance to call some family and friends to let them know. It happened so quickly. The next thing I knew, I was on the ice for my solo rookie lap and living out my childhood dream.”
RocketFAN had to ask Kirkland about the key to a successful rookie lap, which can be seen right here. https://www.facebook.com/anaheimducks/videos/486236730317534/
“I think the only thing going through my mind was don’t fall”, Kirkland said with a chuckle. “I knew the tradition of it. I wasn’t sure if I was going to do it, but seconds before we are going out for warmup, the guys in front of me parted ways and told me to go on.”
It was Kirkland’s welcome to the NHL moment.
Kirkland would end up playing seven games with the Ducks last season, wearing sweater number 54.
“When I walked into the dressing room for the first time and saw my jersey there, I had a second to sit back and reflect on all the highs and lows, the bumps in the road to get there. There are times when you think, am I ever going to get there? For me it was a constant dream of this is where I want to be, and I was going to put the work in to get there.”
Just when things appeared to be moving in the right direction in Kirkland’s hockey career, another hurdle January 7, 2023 got in the way when he was involved in a single-vehicle accident on his way to a home game against the Boston Bruins.
“I consider myself lucky, and I sustained some serious injuries”, Kirkland recalled. “I crashed into a median on the highway. The next thing I know, I am waking up in a hospital bed trying to figure out what happened.
“I suffered head trauma. My wife wasn’t in Anaheim at the time, but when I woke, she was there. It was emotional. It was very scary, but I was very fortunate to have the full support and care of the Ducks organization and their medical staff.”
Kirkland also has high praise for Anaheim Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins, who parted ways with the team on April 14th.
“Dallas is a salt of the earth person”, Kirkland appreciating Eakins visits while in the hospital. “A fantastic human being. I think with his approach, he cares more about you as a person than as the player, where sometimes that human aspect can get lost in this business.
“I woke up in the hospital bed, not knowing where I was, and I look up and Dallas Eakins is standing there in his game-day suit. He went and coached the game against the Bruins and the first stop after is to come and check on me and my wife. I think that says enough about the person right there.”
Scoring arguably one of the biggest playoff goals in Kelowna Rockets franchise history with a buzzer-beater against the Victoria Royals in 2016, Kirkland calls that his biggest goal in his hockey career.
“That was probably the loudest building to the quietest building in a matter of half of a second”, Kirkland said with pride.
A free agent on July 1st, Kirkland is unsure if the Ducks will offer a contract or if he will have to seek employment elsewhere.
“I would love to come back with the [Ducks] organization. The way that they treated me through everything I went through this year was first class. Pat Verbeek [Ducks GM] the Samueli family [Ducks owner Henry Samueli] have been just fantastic and very supportive.”
At the end of the day, for Kirkland, it is about finding that opportunity at the NHL level.
“We will see what the next few months bring, Kirkland speaking optimistically.
“Hopefully I can get something done with Anaheim, and if not, we will see where this road takes me next.”
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