Castagna signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames in March 2026. His deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $1.07M and runs through the 2028-29 season.

Castagna heads to Calgary as part of the MacKenzie Weegar deal, and he may quietly be one of the more interesting names moved at the deadline. The Cornell winger is in the midst of an outstanding third NCAA season, scoring over a point-per-game and suggesting meaningful offensive growth beyond the work-rate, forecheck-heavy profile he carried earlier in his college career. If that progression proves sustainable at the professional level, Calgary may have acquired a late-blooming prospect worth monitoring. A speculative add in deeper leagues before he becomes more widely known.

Playing at St. Andrew’s College, or SAC, going into the 2023 NHL draft, Castagna gathered some scouts’ attention, but many were surprised to see Arizona draft him in the third round. He finished as one of the team’s top scorers, but it was not clear if the offence Castagna showed at SAC would translate at the next level. While most prep school players play a year or two in USHL or Canadian Jr. A before embarking on college, Castagna’s athletic tools allowed him to bypass that and jump directly to Cornell. In 2023-24 as an 18-year-old freshman, he finished fourth on the team in scoring with 25 points in 35 games. This past campaign, his production plateaued on a weaker Cornell squad, but he has continued to be a regular contributor at five-on-five and on both special teams as a teenager. Castagna is an excellent athlete with a 6-2, 200-pound frame. His game is defined by his skating (acceleration and top gear), his versatility, drive, and he’s good in the faceoff circle. And while he’s not a natural finisher, there’s a belief that he’s still early in his development. Castagna is worth keeping an eye on for his athleticism and speed. Keith Duggan