When the Calgary Flames made their initial training camp cuts, it included the expected names. Those were junior players who were looking to get their season started this past weekend. Some examples included Mace’o Phillips and Joe Iginla, who made immediate impacts with their junior clubs. However, one player did not get sent back with them; that, of course, is Chase Harrington. He was expected to be sent back and begin his season with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. Surprisingly, Harrington made it through the first cuts of training camp. This allowed him to get some practice in with the NHL players. He has easily become the guy to talk about in camp.
Harrington’s journey to the Flames
Through the past three seasons, Harrington has been a full-time member of the Chiefs. He has been a primary guy in the lineup who helps set the tone in each game. Harrington is an in-your-face, tough player who hits hard and takes a lot of penalties. Last year, through 61 games, he recorded 105 penalty minutes. That was good for being eighth in the WHL and one of the league’s most effective power forwards. Along with his physical play, Harrington is a solid playmaker who can score as well. He scored 28 goals and 57 points last year with the Chiefs.
Going into the 2026 NHL Draft, Harrington was one of those guys who were tough to predict. He could have gone in the second round or later on as a depth pick. It was a bit of a surprise when Craig Conroy selected him in the second round of the 2026 NHL Draft with the 36th overall selection. Harrington was an unusual pick who fits the Flames system well. The team is building around young players, with Harrington potentially being the depth power forward of the future.
Going into this season, all eyes will be on Harrington taking things to the next level in the WHL (once he gets sent back). A good season for him would include a point-per-game year, along with earning a potential spot on Canada’s World Junior squad. He is the type of player who would make a great bottom-six guy in a tournament like that. Especially considering how soft Canada’s teams have been in previous tournaments.
A young standout in camp
First of all, Harrington had a good start with the Next Gen Showcase against Edmonton. Even though the game did not go well, he still earned second-line ice time just behind Gridin, Gross, and Suniev, all of whom have NHL experience. A couple of days later, when the training camp rosters were released, Harrington was the lone junior player to appear in the big group. This was interesting to notice, as names like Kerins, Othmann, and Morton were all in the second group.
#Flames training camp groups are out!
— Pat Steinberg (@SteinbergYYC) September 16, 2026
As we discussed, Chase Harrington is in the big group. Huge opportunity for him. PTO Alex Nylander is in the first group, while unsigned Brennan Othmann is listed in the second group.
On the ice tomorrow at 9 am! https://t.co/CZuEg6h9UN
On the first day of training camp, Harrington was slated in on the second line, competing for the left wing spot with Sam Honzek. They were playing alongside Backlund and Farabee, which would likely be a depth-scoring line. Unfortunately, this likely turned out to be a small experiment, as Harrington got bumped down the following day. On day two of camp, Harrington was an extra forward, joining Alex Nylander, who is on a PTO.
On day three of camp, it was the same situation for Harrington. Even though he is serving as an extra forward, it is still a good sign to see him grinding it out with the big club. Hopefully he gets some ice time in the preseason games with the main group, with their first game taking place Tuesday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
Joining a young core
It would be a shock if Harrington became anything more than a bottom-six checking forward. However, these kinds of players can be very valuable to a franchise. Those are the guys who bring energy to the game and help swing momentum through physical play. Seeing the impact that NHLers with a playing style similar to Harrington’s have is great to see. Some examples include Kiefer Sherwood, Will Cuylle, and even former Flame, Blake Coleman. All of whom, play a key role for their teams.
Harrington will join a young core of Flames forwards moving forward. They have the likes of Aydar Suniev, Jack Hextall, Cole Reschny, Ethan Wyttenbach, and more. All of whom hope to make a significant impact on the team as soon as possible. Most of these guys have top-six forward potential, so it will work out for Harrington in the fact that he will have fewer prospects to compete with for a depth role.
The Flames absolutely have a bright future. They have a young, star-studded defensive core of the future, an abundance of forward prospects, and multiple solid young goalies. For the first time in a while, this franchise is right where it needs to be. With a rebuild already underway and playing in a new arena just around the corner, hopefully the team is starting to win more games once Scotia Place is in full operation.
What do you think of the Flames’ future? Will Harrington have his say in it? Or will he become a career AHLer?
