Since the advent of the salary cap following the 2004-05 lockout, it’s become increasingly important to find players on entry level deals that can slot into your team’s roster and contribute. Players on their ELCs are inexpensive and waiver exempt, providing their clubs with a lot of organizational flexibility.
The Calgary Flames have 16 players on their ELCs in 2020-21, but those players’ situations vary significantly.
About ELCs
Simply put, ELCs are a player’s first deal in the NHL’s system. All ELCs are two-way deals and for the most part, players are waiver exempt for the duration – Matthew Tkachuk was waiver eligible for the third season of his ELC because he spent the first two seasons in the NHL, which is basically the only way to meet the games-played requirement to become eligible during your ELC.