Justin Kirkland is one of the rare players who can speak from experience about the Calgary Wranglers' dramatic relocation story. As one of only two active roster members who played for both the Stockton Heat and Calgary's current AHL squad, Kirkland offers a unique perspective on what it meant to be part of a franchise move that reshaped professional hockey in Southern Alberta.
The Stockton Heat operated as the Calgary Flames' primary development affiliate from 2015 until 2022, serving as a launching pad for now-familiar faces like Dustin Wolf, Connor Zary, and Martin Pospisil. But pandemic challenges, declining attendance, and local venue negotiations ultimately prompted the Flames organization to relocate the team north in 2022, officially rebranding them as the Calgary Wranglers ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Kirkland spent three seasons with the Heat between 2019 and 2022, finishing among the team's top five scorers in his final year before pursuing opportunities with the San Diego Gulls, Tucson Roadrunners, and Arizona Coyotes. He rejoined the Flames organization in 2024-25 and has since split time between the Wranglers and the NHL parent club—a professional path that has included significant personal challenges, including a serious car accident in 2023 and a knee injury in late 2024.
The Climate Factor
When asked about the differences between playing in California versus Alberta, Kirkland pointed to one unexpected advantage of the move: proximity to the Flames' main facilities and operations. "The weather. Obviously, it's nice being close to the Flames team," he explained. "Having the facility and stuff here too is nice."
Yet those benefits come with trade-offs. Travel logistics have become more challenging. "In Stockton, you're close to a lot of those Pacific teams where now we're flying everywhere. So that makes travel a little more difficult. The schedule is a little tougher, but honestly the weather was the big bonus of being there," Kirkland said.
Leaving a Community Behind
The human cost of relocation weighs heavily on Kirkland's reflection. The Stockton Heat had built genuine community connections—season ticket holders, local supporters who made regular trips to the arena, and dedicated staff members who supported the players daily.
"Yeah it's hard. They showed up for us and the last year that we were there, we had a really good team and put together a really good season and they were behind us the whole time," Kirkland said. "You also feel for the support staff, the people who were around the rink, working hard for us. We had a great team that did an unbelievable job with all our meals and stuff. So yeah, you feel for everybody around the community."
The Golf Connection
One element of team bonding that the Stockton years provided was California's year-round sports culture. Kirkland highlighted the informal season-long golf league that helped unite the roster during downtime.
"One of the coolest things was the last year we had a team golf league. So when the schedule kind of allowed it, we'd all get out during the day and have a big golf. It was kind of like a season-long tournament going on," Kirkland recalled. "That was something the guys always really enjoyed. It brought the team together and guys who didn't play all of a sudden became golf fans and golfers."
Calgary's climate makes similar off-season team activities far more challenging, particularly during the winter months when the Wranglers are in full competition mode.
Legacy in Stockton
In their final season, the Stockton Heat compiled an impressive 45-16-5-2 record, claiming the Pacific Division title and finishing second overall in the American Hockey League standings. Despite that success, the team fell short in the Western Conference finals, eliminated by the Chicago Wolves—who went on to capture the Calder Cup championship that season.
Kirkland himself contributed significantly during his tenure, appearing in 135 games across three seasons and recording 83 points (33 goals, 50 assists). The Stockton Arena has since become home to the Stockton Kings basketball team and Stockton Crusaders arena football franchise.
This article is based on reporting from FlamesNation.ca.