Latest news with #Kerins
Calgary Herald
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Is Brett Sutter a rising star in the coaching ranks? The Calgary Flames believe so
Article content Kerins, who was the Wranglers' leading scorer in 2024-25, has also talked about the value of having 'one of probably the biggest AHL legends' to lean on through the early stages of his pro career. Article content 'It's all about communication and trust,' Brett said, detailing his approach. 'You know, hockey players are simple guys. They want to hear the truth. They want to know exactly where they stand. They want to know the things they're doing well, the things they need to improve on. And I think just having that no-games, open-and-honest relationship, it makes your team better, but it also makes the individuals better. Article content 'These are really single-track-mind guys. When they decide they want to make it to the NHL, they're all-in on that goal. Those are the kinds of kids that you want to work really hard for, and that's part of the reason this job is so great. It is rewarding when you see their dreams do come true.' Article content Article content Article content Who could possibly be more proud than the coach when one of those kids — at any age — achieves a career goal? Article content Well, the dad would be one. Article content 'Brett is a really good fit for 'em, I think,' Darryl said. 'I think he's ready for it. He'll do a really good job.' Article content While Brett has now filled that assistant-coaching vacancy, plucking another former AHL captain in David Liffiton from the Calgary Hitmen, he knows that a former Jack Adams Trophy winner and two-time Stanley Cup champion is always just a phone call away. Article content 'When you grow up in the locker room, you kind of understand how things work, how people work, things you like, things you don't like,' Brett said. 'For me, it's just nice having that support system. I know my dad is always there if I have any questions. He doesn't interfere too much. He's more stay-in-the-background unless I ask him something. Article content 'The more time you spend in the locker room, you see things and you decide, 'Yeah, that's how I want my locker room to be,' or, 'That's not how I want my locker room to be.' After 19 years in the American League, I've seen a lot of different locker rooms and have a pretty clear picture in my mind of how I'd like ours to look. I look forward to starting to build that now.'
Calgary Herald
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
With contract inked, can Rory Kerins score spot in Calgary Flames lineup?
Calgary Flames' Rory Kerins controls the puck during a game against the St. Louis Blues. AP Photo Rory Kerins is now on the radar for full-time duties with the Calgary Flames. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors An afterthought last fall when he didn't even draw into the lineup for exhibition action, Kerins made a statement to the organizational brass by leading the AHL's Wranglers with 33 goals and 61 points. On his first career callup, he notched four assists over a five-game span. Kerins' quest to be an NHL regular continued Thursday when he inked a one-year, two-way contract with a cap-hit of US$775,000. Flames general manager Craig Conroy signed three restricted free agents in one swoop, also hammering out new deals with defencemen Yan Kuznetsov and Jeremie Poirier. Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again 'I think a lot about that stint up in the NHL, just how awesome it was and how much I learned,' Kerins told Postmedia toward the end of this past season. 'And I just think about how much I want to get back.' This 23-year-old forward definitely has earned a long look when training camp opens in September. It's no secret the Flames are seeking to generate more offence — they averaged just 2.68 snipes per game in 2024-25, ranking 29th in the league in that category — and one of the potential solutions is to promote the most dangerous marksman from your farm team. Kerins finished fourth in the AHL in goals and tied for 10th in points. The question is: Where could this up-and-coming lefty fit in Flames the lineup? While he was the Wranglers top centre for most of the season, Kerins worked the wing in his handful of appearances at the NHL level. The debate about his potential as a pivot always is focused on his ability to push the pace, something he has been determined to address in his sessions with skating coach Danielle Fujita. With Nazem Kadri, Mikael Backlund and Morgan Frost locked in, the Flames' only opening up the middle is in a fourth-line role and Justin Kirkland is the clear frontrunner for that job after inking a one-way deal. Trouble is, it's even more crowded on the wings. We will list nine names — in alphabetical order, Blake Coleman, Matt Coronato, Joel Farabee, Jonathan Huberdeau, Adam Klapka, Ryan Lomberg, Martin Pospisil, Yegor Sharangovich and Connor Zary — and remind you there only are eight every-night slots on the flank.
Winnipeg Free Press
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Calgary Flames sign Kerins, Kuznetsov and Poirier to two-way contracts
CALGARY – The Calgary Flames have resigned centre Rory Kerins and defencemen Yan Kuznetsov and Jeremie Poirier, the NHL club announced Thursday. Kuznetsov signed a two-year, two-way deal worth US$812,500 a season that becomes a one-way contract in the second year while Kerins and Poirier signed one-year, one-way contracts worth $775,000. Kerins led the American Hockey League's Calgary Wranglers in scoring last season with 61 points (33 goals, 28 assists) and had four assists in five games with the Flames. The 23-year-old centre from Caledon, Ont., was selected by Calgary in the sixth round (174th overall) of the 2020 NHL draft. Kuznetsov, from Murmansk, Russia, had a career-best 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) and led the team with a plus-21 rating in 72 games with the Wranglers in 2024-25. Calgary's second-round pick (50th overall) in the 2020 NHL draft played one game with the Flames during the 2023-24 season. Poirier, a 23-year-old from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que., had five goals and 37 assists in 71 games with the Wranglers last season. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. He was selected by Calgary in the third round (72nd overall) in the 2020 draft. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025.
Sunday World
02-06-2025
- Sunday World
GAA boss Davy Fitzgerald's son spared jail for stealing €35k from former employer
WALKS FREE | Court hears thefts were made to feed a 'serious' gambling addiction Colm Fitzgerald outside Ennis Circuit Criminal Court (Photo: Brendan Gleeson) Colm Fitzgerald, (28), of Castlequinn, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, stole the money while employed to be in charge of cash at a cash counter, at Bank of Ireland, Shannon Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co Clare, on seven separate dates in 2023, the court heard. Fitzgerald, who immediately resigned after the thefts were discovered during an internal audit, told the bank and gardaí that he stole the cash to sustain a gambling addiction. Fitzgerald's barrister, Kenny Kerins, told Ennis Circuit Criminal Court that 'steeped in GAA' Fitzgerald had paid all of the money back with the support and assistance of his family. Mr Kerins said Fitzgerald was caught in a 'serious' grip of addiction to sports gambling and that he had 'expressed relief' when the thefts were discovered. Fitzgerald admitted stealing the cash in bundles of €5,000 on seven separate dates in 2023. Mr Kerins told the court: 'He was living a life of secrets, he has remorse, he has shame. This young man had everything going well in his life, he was engaged in sport, he had a job, and in seven actions, he absolutely destroys his career'. The barrister told the sentencing hearing last Friday that, prior to the discovery of the cash thefts, Fitzgerald's gambling had become so serious the well-known bookmaker chain Paddy Power banned him from betting with them. 'They were so concerned that they wrote to him and banned him from gambling with them… this was a serious addiction for Mr Fitzgerald,' Mr Kerins said. 'His life was completely out of control, so much so that he sees all this as a positive thing, he sees it as a disengagement from his addiction.' Colm Fitzgerald outside Ennis Circuit Criminal Court (Photo: Brendan Gleeson) News in 90 seconds - June 2nd Mr Kerins said when Bank of Ireland's auditors discovered €35,000 was missing, Fitzgerald prepared a document that would have concealed 'his deceit' but he 'cancelled it almost immediately'. 'He was about to further his criminal endeavour, but he stopped it. He went home and told his grandfather and close family, he knew the jig was up and he came forward, he met with bank officials and made admissions, he resigned and met with gardaí by appointment,' Mr Kerins said. 'That is to his credit, he faced up to it, he is a gentleman.' Mr Kerins said Fitzgerald was 'aware' thefts from his employer were 'unacceptable' but he said Fitzgerald had taken responsibility for his offending as well as measures not to return to gambling. 'He and his family are steeped in GAA, which was perhaps how he became involved in [sports] gambling. Mr Kerins said Fitzgerald had 'engaged with therapeutic services and had worked as a courier' to pay his family back the money they reimbursed to the bank. The barrister said Fitzgerald has, along with his partner, opened a coffee shop in Sixmilebridge, employing four people, and that Fitzgerald had 'taken careful steps' to limit his own 'access to the business's finances and cash, so there is oversight'. Colm Fitzgerald outside Ennis Circuit Criminal Court (Photo: Brendan Gleeson) Detective Garda Paddy Bourke, of Shannon garda station, told the court he believed Fitzgerald had done all he could to co-operate with the garda investigation as well as trying to tackle his addiction and that he hopes to 'to continue to do so'. CCTV footage located at cash counters had expired by the time the bank discovered the thefts and alerted gardaí, and so Fitzgerald's pleas were valuable to the prosecution, the court heard. Mr Kerins said Fitzgerald had 'no previous convictions', had engaged in a residential therapy programme run by the Bushypark Addiction Treatment Centre, and he continues to attend regular Gamblers Anonymous (GA) meetings. 'He's not seeking to blame anyone, he developed a low-level gambling addiction which snowballed and got out-of-control while he was working as an employee of the bank – the court is aware of the compulsive nature of gambling addiction,' Mr Kerins said. Prosecuting barrister Sarah-Jane Comerford said the prosecution 'accepted [Fitzgerald] was suffering from a gambling addiction at the time'. Judge Francis Comerford said Fitzgerald 'took bundles of cash from his employer each worth €5,000' and that he considered a two-year headline sentence to be appropriate. 'It was a significant breach of trust, it was a significant offence, and the aggravating factor is that it was theft by an employee from their employer'. Reducing the sentence to 12 months, the judge said: 'It wasn't a commercial calculated crime, so that tends to put it at a lower level, and it was discovered very quickly.' Judge Comerford suspended the jail term for 18 months, and directed Fitzgerald to continue engaging with gambling support services.
Extra.ie
02-06-2025
- Extra.ie
Suspended sentence for son of hurling legend in 'grip of addiction'
A son of Clare hurling legend Davy Fitzgerald has been given a fully suspended 12-month prison sentence after he admitted stealing €35,000 from his then employer, Bank of Ireland, to feed his 'out-of-control gambling addiction'. Colm Fitzgerald, 28, of Castlequinn, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, stole the money while employed to be in charge of cash at a counter at Bank of Ireland, Shannon Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co. Clare, on seven dates in 2023. Fitzgerald, who immediately resigned from the bank after the thefts were discovered during an internal audit, told the bank and gardaí he stole the cash to sustain a gambling addiction. Fitzgerald's barrister, Kenny Kerins, told Ennis Circuit Criminal Court that 'steeped in GAA' Fitzgerald had paid all of the money back with the assistance of his family. Mr Kerins said Fitzgerald was in a 'serious' grip of addiction to gambling and had 'expressed relief' when the thefts were discovered. Fitzgerald admitted stealing the cash in bundles of €5,000 on seven dates in 2023. Mr Kerins said: 'He was living a life of secrets. He has remorse, he has shame. This young man had everything going well in his life. He was engaged in sport, he had a job, and in seven actions he absolutely destroys his career.' The barrister told the sentencing hearing last Friday that, before the discovery of the thefts, Fitzgerald's gambling had got so serious that bookmaker chain Paddy Power banned him from betting with them. Colm Fitzgerald outside court in Ennis. Pic: Brendan Gleeson 'They were so concerned that they wrote to him and banned him from gambling with them… This was a serious addiction for Mr Fitzgerald,' Mr Kerins said. 'His life was completely out of control, so much so that he sees all this as a positive thing – he sees it as a disengagement from his addiction.' Mr Kerins said when bank auditors discovered €35,000 was missing, Fitzgerald prepared a document that would have concealed 'his deceit' but 'cancelled it almost immediately'. 'He was about to further his criminal endeavour, but he stopped it,' said Mr Kerins. 'He went home and told his grandfather and close family. He knew the jig was up… He met with bank officials and made admissions. He resigned and met with gardaí by appointment. That is to his credit. He faced up to it. He is a gentleman.' Mr Kerins said Fitzgerald had taken responsibility and measures not to return to gambling. 'He and his family are steeped in GAA, which was perhaps how he became involved in [sports] gambling,' he continued. 'He has great passion for sport and he is still involved in coaching, which is a great pride to him.' Mr Kerins said Fitzgerald had 'engaged with therapeutic services and had worked as courier' to pay his family back the money they reimbursed to the bank. Along with his partner, Fitzgerald has opened a coffee shop business in Sixmilebridge employing four people, he said, and has 'taken careful steps' to limit his 'access to the business's finances and cash'. Detective Garda Paddy Bourke, of Shannon Garda Station, told the court he believed Fitzgerald had done all he could to co-operate with the Garda investigation, as well as trying to tackle his addiction. 'And I hope he continues to do so,' he added. Colm Fitzgerald outside court in Ennis. Pic: Brendan Gleeson CCTV at the bank's cash counters had expired by the time the bank discovered the thefts and alerted gardaí, so Fitzgerald's pleas were valuable, the court heard. Mr Kerins said Fitzgerald had 'no previous convictions', had engaged in residential therapy, and continues to attend Gamblers Anonymous. 'He's not seeking to blame anyone. He developed a low-level gambling addiction, which snowballed and got out of control while he was working as an employee of the bank. The court is aware of the compulsive nature of gambling addiction.' Prosecuting barrister SarahJane Comerford said the prosecution 'accepted he'd been suffering from gambling addiction. Judge Francis Comerford said Fitzgerald 'took bundles of cash from his employer each worth €5,000' and he considered a twoyear headline sentence to be appropriate. He said 'it was a significant breach of trust', and 'the aggravating factor is that it was theft by an employee from their employer'. The judge said: 'Gambling is not an excuse for theft, and one should seek help without having to resort to this.' He accepted people in addiction 'have the compulsion to do this', and this 'does reduce culpability somewhat'. He said there was an air of desperation about Fitzgerald's actions, adding: 'It was not a sophisticated fraud.' Reducing his sentence to 12 months, he said: 'It wasn't a commercial calculated crime, so that tends to put it at a lower level, and it was discovered very quickly, following an internal audit.' The judge suspended the 12-month term for 18 months and directed Fitzgerald to continue to engage with gambling support services. 'It would have been more serious if it was someone vulnerable that was preyed upon,' he said. 'This was not done for a high lifestyle or to accrue wealth, but it was for a gambling addiction.' Fitzgerald hugged his family outside the court afterwards.
