Choosing to play with the Flames, Vail made his NHL debut in 1973–74, appearing in 23 games.

He scored two goals and nine assists, but spent the majority of the season in the Central Hockey League (CHL) with the Omaha Knights.

Vail won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year, the first player in Flames history to do so.

[1] He also made his only appearance with the national team, scoring four goals in nine games for the fourth place Canadians at the World Ice Hockey Championship.

[6] He clashed with head coach Al MacNeil, forcing the team to make a move early in the 1981–82 season.

Stating that "Eric Vail and the Calgary Flames were no longer compatible", General Manager Cliff Fletcher sent the team's all-time leading scorer to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Gary McAdam and a draft pick on November 10, 1981.

[6] When the NHL returned to Atlanta in 1999, Vail joined the Thrashers organization in a community relations capacity and served as an in-arena analyst for the team's radio broadcasts.