The Calgary Wranglers continue to impress in their inaugural season playing out of the Saddledome. With a guarantee of finishing either first or second overall in the AHL, the Wranglers have been outright dominant in many aspects of the game. Now with the regular season nearing its finish, the AHL has announced their First and Second All-Star Teams, and two Wranglers made the cut for the first eam.
The 2022–23 AHL First All-Star Team
The All-Star Teams were announced after they voted on by AHL coaches, players, and media from all 32 cities. Making the first team from the Wranglers were Matthew Phillips and Dustin Wolf.
| Player | Team |
|---|---|
| Matthew Phillips, F | Calgary Wranglers |
| Michael Carcone, F | Tuscon Roadrunners |
| Alex Barre-Boulet, F | Syracuse Crunch |
| Christian Wolanin, D | Abbotsford Canucks |
| Darren Raddysh, D | Syracuse Crunch |
| Dustin Wolf, G | Calgary Wranglers |
This marks the second year in a row that Wolf was named to the First All-Star Team, and would be Phillips’ first time. Both players represented the AHL’s Pacific Division in the 2023 All-Star Classic (along with head coach Mitch Love). Wolf ended up winning the All-Star MVP as the Pacific Division took home the All-Star Classic victory.
All-Star stats
It’s abundantly clear that the Wranglers have been blessed with some of the best goaltending seen in the AHL in recent memory as well as extremely potent offence from one of the league’s most clutch goal scorers.
Wolf currently has a 41–9–2 record in 53 games played, and leads the league in every single goaltending category. He returns to the Wranglers for their Calder Cup run with a newly-earned NHL win under his belt after making his debut with the Calgary Flames. It’s objectively clear that Wolf is one of the best goaltending prospects across the league and his second nod in a row to the First All-Star Team is just one more confirmation.
Phillips has been one of the best offensive players in the AHL as he is tied for the league lead with 36 goals, and is fourth overall with 75 points. Of Phillips’ 36 goals, 15 have been game-winners, which leads the AHL with two others tied for second with nine game-winning goals.
A year to build on
The Wranglers could not have hoped for a better first season playing in Calgary, and they’re now turning their focus toward the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs. They have a strong chance to take home the league’s biggest prize with a team built to not just contend but can outright dominate.
For the Calgary Flames organisation, they will watch intently and see what they have in the system as many Wranglers have impressed, and some will certainly be knocking on the door of the NHL come next season’s training camp. For now, major congratulations are in order for Wolf and Phillips, and good luck to them and the rest of the team in the AHL playoffs!
