'These Are My Brothers'

He turned heads at his first Flames training camp. 

And Chase Harrington has taken that well-earned momentum and run with it as captain of the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs.

The Calgary second-round pick from this past June’s Draft is off to a flying start back in Washington state, thanks in part to an extended spell with the NHL side that featured captain’s skates, an extended look at camp and a preseason NHL debut.

Lessons acquired, memories made.

For Harrington, too, the experience in Calgary was a confidence-booster.

“It was so important, being able to prove to myself that I can compete with those guys,” he said over the phone this week, when asked about his time in the Stampede City. “I learned a lot from those guys, and I’m bringing that back to Spokane now.”

And brought it, he has.

Harrington is the reigning WHL player of the week, and as his Chiefs prepare for a weekend home set against their division rivals from Portland, the product of Prince George, B.C. sits tied for fourth among the junior circuit’s top scorers with 15 points (6G, 9A), all while helping Spokane race out of the gate to an 8-1-0 record to start the season.

Chiefs head coach Brad Lauer - a WHL championship winner in Edmonton four years ago - has had an influence on Harrington too. The former New York Islanders defenceman spent a decade on NHL benches in Ottawa, Anaheim, Tampa Bay and Winnipeg, but today, he has Harrington and his Spokane teammates practicing pro habits.

“I think it’s rare, almost second-to-none to be in the WHL and have a coach with that much experience in the NHL,” Harrington explained. “He knows what it takes, he’s been there. 

“It’s really good to have a coach like him helping me along.”

Harrington is laser-focused on what likely will be his final season of junior hockey. The 19-year-old has tasted playoff success in Spokane, a city seeking its first WHL crown since 2008.

But in-between the bus rides, pre-game pasta and Friday night lights, Harrington has another goal in mind. 

A spot on Canada’s World Juniors squad. 

The 2027 tournament is in Alberta, too, and after turning heads at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Ontario this past summer, Harrington would love nothing more than to represent his country during the holiday season.

And he’s got a pretty good idea of what Hockey Canada’s brass is looking for out of him, too.

“I think I’ve just got to be myself,” Harrington said of his World Junior aspirations. “There’s a lot of good players on that team, but maybe there’s not a lot of guys that can play the game like me, playing those hard minutes, succeeding on the penalty kill. 

“I think just buying into that role - knowing those (first-round) picks will be on the powerplay - I can bring a lot more to the team than that. But it’s just about showing that I can help the team win.”

It won’t be long before Harrington - who signed his entry-level contract with the Flames this fall - can envisage winning games inside Scotia Place, too.

But for now, for the team he leads in Spokane, finding more success at the WHL level is priority number one.

“It’s been so nice to be back in Spokane,” said Harrington. “This is my team, these are my brothers, so it’s nice to be back competing with them. 

“It’s been a blast.”