With their first pick in the second round at the 2026 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames selected winger Chase Harrington out of the WHL at 36th overall. Harrington was ranked as high as 31st on Corey Pronman’s pre-draft rankings and as low as 76th on Elite Prospects rankings.
Who is Chase Harrington?
| Position | Handedness | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| LW | Left | 6’1″ | 203lbs |
Harrington is a big-bodied winger hailing from Prince George, BC. He’s played all of his junior hockey in Western Canada. Born in October 2007, Harrington was one of the oldest players available in the 2026 draft.
Harrington’s on-ice production
As mentioned, Harrington has spent his entire junior hockey career out west. He’s spent the last three years playing for the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL after being selected with the eighth overall pick at the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.
| Year | Draft Relative | League | Team | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | D-2 | WHL | Spokane Chiefs | 61 | 6 | 16 | 22 |
| 2024-25 | D-1 | WHL | Spokane Chiefs | 68 | 19 | 31 | 50 |
| 2025-26 | D+0 | WHL | Spokane Chiefs | 61 | 28 | 29 | 57 |
Harrington has seen a slow but steady increase in his production over the past three years, watching his point totals jump from 22 to 50 to 57 this past season. It’s also worth mentioning that Spokane was a rather weak team this past season, finishing with a 36-30-2 record.
Harrington’s 57 points actually led the Chiefs in scoring, as did his 28 goals. Needless to say, he didn’t have a whole lot of help this past year and was his team’s best forward despite being just 18 years old.
Harrington’s strengths
Relentless motor
Harrington is very much a meat-and-potatoes player. His biggest strength is probably his endless motor and relentless energy every shift. He never takes a shift off and is constantly buzzing around the ice and getting in on the forecheck. Whether it’s throwing a big hit or crashing the crease, Harrington will do whatever it takes to add some energy to his bench, and he’s not afraid to muck it up if needed.
Two-way play
Harrington is solid at both ends of the ice, though he’s not elite on either side of the ice. He’s what you’d describe as a dependable, checking forward. He can log time on your penalty kill or take on difficult matchups against the other team’s top players. While he’ll never be considered a high-end defensive forward, he’s certainly not a liability either.
Here’s what The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler said about Harrington.
“He’s a strong all-around winger who plays a pro-style game, plays on both special teams in junior (though he won’t be a power-play guy in the NHL), works, battles and comes with a physical edge and disposition.”
Harrington’s areas of improvement
Offensive Consistency
Harrington will never be a top offensive contributor or counted on for offence, but he could stand to add some consistency to his offensive impact. While 57 points in 61 WHL games isn’t a bad result considering the team he was playing on, it’s also a little disappointing coming from a player who turned 18 in October. Harrington shows flashes of his shot and playmaking, but far too often, you’re left wanting more from him offensively.
Harrington’s next steps
Harrington will be heading back to the WHL next season, where he will once again be Spokane’s top forward option in all situations. Next season is a big one for Harrington to prove his offence is above average and was worthy of a second-round pick.
As a 19-year-old in a weakened WHL, Harrington should have no problem posting at least a point-per-game rate in 2026-27.
Projection with the Flames
Harrington will never be a top-six play driver, but he wasn’t selected to be one either. Given his physical tools, his floor is quite high, although his ceiling is low. He possesses the tools to become a bottom-six energy winger in the NHL one day, but he’ll have to prove his offensive game can improve. If not, it could be tough for him to become anything more than AHL depth.
