McElhinney split 2007–08 between the Quad City Flames and Calgary. He made his NHL debut on October 22, 2007 against the San Jose Sharks in relief of Miikka Kiprusoff, appearing in five NHL games, finishing with a 0–2–0 record and a 2.00 goals against average. He played the entire 2008–09 NHL season with Calgary as Kiprusoff's backup and recorded his first NHL win in his 14th game of the year, the last of the regular season, in a 4–1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on April 11, 2009.