In the history of the Flames franchise, 606 players have tugged a red sweater over their heads and suited up for a regular season game. Of those, 22 played just a single game for either the Calgary or Atlanta Flames. We call them One Game Wonders.

Let’s talk about another One Game Wonder, Turner Elson.

Born and raised in the west, Elson became a prominent member of the Red Deer Rebels – he played for them for four seasons. A rock-solid two way center in the Dub, Elson had scouts’ admiration but not their love – he was an easy player to like, but the only thing that jumped off the page was his work ethic. But the Flames invited him to a rookie camp, then main camp in 2011; they liked his game enough to give him an entry level deal.

Elson spent three pro seasons with the Flames organization – the first season of his ELC was burnt off by him staying in the WHL for his overage year. He split his first pro season between the AHL and ECHL, capturing a Kelly Cup championship with the Alaska Aces. The next two seasons he was a solid two-way contribution for the Flames’ AHL clubs, earning a Game 82 call-up in 2015-16 as the Flames rested their banged-up regulars. He had an assist in a Flames win over Minnesota – Oliver Kylington and Patrick Sieloff also debuted that night.

He didn’t seem to take a step in his third season, so the Flames declined to qualify him as a restricted free agent. He landed on his feet, though, as he’s spent time in the minor leagues with the Avalanche and Red Wings systems. He hasn’t erupted as a pro offensively, but he’s translated into the AHL what made him effective in the WHL: he’s a reliable secondary scorer, can play every situation, and provides good two-way play in a league that can get a bit dicey defensively sometimes.

Elson’s a pending free agent this summer, but he seems like a good bet to get another gig with an AHL team. He might not have an NHL skill set, but players like him are always in demand.