The Calgary Flames have made building through the draft their priority, and while it's much easier to land a star in the first-round, the ability of Craig Conroy has been to land potential NHLers in the second round and beyond.
This year, the Flames had three picks in the second round, and with those selections, the team landed a variety of players, picking up goaltender Tobias Trejbal and wingers Alan Shaikhlislamov & Chase Harrington.
Whether or not they make the NHL and become impact players, only time will tell, but after a solid showing at training camp, Harrington has now made a big decision on his future.
Chase Harrington Officially Signed to His ELC
While many young players in the CHL are looking to follow their careers from the CHL to the NCAA before making the leap to the pro level, that isn't for everyone, and the feeling around Calgary is that it wasn't for Harrington. Now, he's made that official, as the team took to social media on Tuesday ahead of the new season to announce that the 18-year-old has signed his three-year Entry Level Contract.
PEN TO PAPER ✍️
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) September 29, 2026
We've signed forward Chase Harrington to a three-year, entry-level contract!https://t.co/nVo1N4ytbm
This is a great move for Calgary for several reasons, indicating that Harrington may turn pro following the 2026/27 season, and according to Ryan Pike, because he signed before the end of the year as a late birthday, he has not one, but two slide years (assuming he doesn't play 10+ NHL games, giving the organization and player plenty of flexibility.
#Flames have announced signing of F Chase Harrington three-year ELC.
— Ryan Pike (@RyanNPike) September 29, 2026
He's a late birthday that signed before the end of the year, so he's eligible for two slide years (this year and next year) as long as he doesn't play in 10 NHL games.
Can Harrington Be a Big Piece of the Flames Future?
While the early indicators on social media were of frustration with the Harrington pick, that quickly turned around when fans got to know his physical, gritty style along with a unique shot that saw him stand out at rookie camp.
He was good in 2025/26 for the Spokane Chiefs, so much so that Harrington was named captain this week after being released from Flames camp, and in one game he's already shown his development, tallying a goal and 3 points in a Chiefs win. Obviously, there's many more games and phases of his game for him to develop before becoming an NHLer, but with the body, the confidence and the style, he could be a middle-six player in Calgary for years to come.
For now, he'll be focused on topping the 28 goals and 57 points in 61 games he had a year ago, but when the regular season comes to an end, it wouldn't be a big shock to see Harrington suit up for either the Flames or Wranglers for a game or two.
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