Fresh off signing a new contract earlier in the week, Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf is primed to take another step in his development. He will look to lock down a spot on the Flames roster and play his first full season in the NHL.
Wolf got his first taste of NHL action this past season, but the 2024–25 season will be a new test as there will be a larger workload available with the departure of Jacob Markstrom. The question for him will become, what will a successful rookie season look like behind a depleted Flames team?
Expectations set to a minimum
I don’t think there should be any question as to whether Wolf will make the Flames’ opening night roster come October. He has dominated the AHL for the past three seasons and has nothing left to prove in the minors. With Markstrom no longer around, there will be no top option for the Flames to go to on a nightly basis. The spot is Wolf’s to run with, and he will be tested to see if he can hang at the NHL level for an extended period of time.
While we are all super excited to finally see Wolf get some runway in the NHL, I think it is very important that we temper our expectations this upcoming year. This Flames team is going to be weak. Many key players were shipped off over the past twelve months, and it is a very different team from the start of last season. The defence in particular is much weaker than it was a season ago. MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson are the only two blue liners that remain on the team from last year’s home opener.
The Flames will give up lots of high quality scoring chances if they are as bad of a team that we think they will be. Wolf may not have the easiest time gaining his footing—especially at the beginning of the season—and that is okay. There are going to be growing pains going from AHL-level shooters to NHL-level shooters. The good news is that Wolf got some experience last season and it should be an easier adjustment for him coming into this season.
If he struggles, that is fine. We are not expecting him to dominate right out of the gate. I think, as a fanbase, we will just need to be patient. He has all the potential in the world to be great, but it may just take him a bit of time to get there.
What is a successful rookie season for Wolf?
A successful season for Wolf, in my opinion, would be for him to play anywhere between 40 and 45 games and just be consistent. The goal is for him to stay in the NHL without having to go down to the Calgary Wranglers. This is the year for Wolf to solidify himself as an NHL goalie.
Behind this Flames team, it may take a miracle for him to attain a save percentage anything above a .905. Realistically, if he can be anything above a .900, that would be pretty great for him, all things considered. We hear about how remarkable a season Markstrom had for the Flames a season ago, yet his save percentage was a .905 to end the year. It is respectful, but nowhere near the elite of the league. So, if in Wolf’s rookie year he can be around that mark, it would be a very good season for him.
The most important thing for Wolf this year will be managing the larger workload and trying to stay consistent. The NHL season is a grind, and even with little to no expectations on the Flames this season, I still think there will be some pressure on Wolf from the fanbase to see what they have in him. Anything that involves Wolf staying with the Flames all season and being the same consistent goaltender from game-to-game will be a success, in my books.
Wolf’s net to lose
I don’t think there is any doubt that the net will be Wolf’s until it isn’t. Daniel Vladar is coming off hip surgery and was almost unplayable a season ago. We have no idea what kind of shape he will be in coming back, and Devin Cooley has only played six NHL games and was not so good in those outings. Statistically speaking, Wolf was the best of the three at NHL level last season.
He will be given every chance to succeed and, while there may be some struggles, that is what comes with becoming an NHL level player. For this upcoming year, it will be on Wolf to navigate the waters and hopefully become one of the best goalies in the league in a few years’ time.
Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire
