The Wranglers signed Calgary native Alex Young to a two-way AHL/ECHL contract, bringing the former AJHL standout back to his hometown organization.
On Thursday, the Calgary Wranglers added more depth to their talent pool, bringing home former AJHL standout Alex Young on a two-way AHL/ECHL contract. Growing up in Stampede City, Young played locally in the AMBHL and AMMHL before heading to the Rocky Mountains to skate three seasons (2017-2020) with the Canmore Eagles in the AJHL. In Bow Valley, he carved out a path to the NHL Draft, where the San Jose Sharks selected him in the seventh round (196th overall) in 2020.
With the Eagles, Young continued to develop his game, dropping from 1.60 points per game at the U17 level to 1.20 points per game in the AJHL. He scored 206 points, including 91 goals and 115 assists, in 172 games in Canmore, playing for the league's Selects team in 2020.
Instead of going the professional route, Young enrolled at Colgate University, where he became a 20-goal scorer in his third season. He became an NCAA (ECAC) All-Rookie Team member before winning a league championship in 2023, along with All-Tournament and First All-Star Team honors. He finishes his collegiate career at Arizona State University with just nine points in 37 games. Overall, he scored 43 goals and 92 points in the NCAA.
Since 2023-24, the 25-year-old has skated in the ECHL, beginning his professional career with the Adirondack Thunder before spending the past two seasons with the Atlanta Gladiators. During the 2025-26 campaign, his first full season in professional hockey, Young recorded 27 goals and 59 points in 72 games. He is expected to compete for time with the Wranglers, who will be looking to reverse last season's misfortunes after finishing last in the AHL's Pacific Division with a 23-34-10-5 record.
After leading the Gladiators in scoring last season, Young should provide offensive depth wherever he begins the 2026-27 campaign. If he starts the year with the Rapid City Rush, he could help a club coming off a disappointing 29-36-6-1 record, which left it 12th in the ECHL's Western Conference. He's also established himself as a consistent offensive contributor at that level, totaling 97 points in 133 career ECHL games.
Whether he begins the season with the Wranglers or with the Rush, Young will have the opportunity to continue his career in the Flames organization. Should he earn an AHL call-up, the Calgary native could fulfill a hometown dream by skating at the Scotiabank Saddledome during its final season.
