Do the Calgary Flames have a Calder winner in Dustin Wolf?

It’s been over 15 years since a goaltender won the Calder Trophy, but that hasn’t stopped Calgary Flames fans from advocating for 23-year-old rookie Dustin Wolf to be part of the conversation. Wolf has certainly made his case, appearing in 26 games with an impressive 17-7-2 record, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.49 goals-against average. While there is historical precedent for a goalie to win the Calder, it’s far from being an award traditionally given to netminders. So, does Wolf have a real shot?

Since the Calder’s introduction in 1937, the award has been given to a goaltender only about 22% of the time. The most recent goaltender to win the prestigious award was Steve Mason, who claimed it at the end of the 2008-09 season. That year, Mason started 61 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets, compiling a record of 33-20-7 with a .916 save percentage, a 2.29 goals-against average, and 10 shutouts. Notably, the last three recipients of the award each played in nearly 70% of their team’s games, highlighting their pivotal roles.

As of January 23rd, Dustin Wolf has only played in roughly 53% of Calgary’s games. This hasn’t been something that has gone unnoticed either with many Flames fans unhappy with the team choosing to use Dan Vladar and Dustin Wolf as a tandem instead of naming a starter.

Wolf could break an 80 year old record

Assuming the Flames continue splitting games between their two goalies, Wolf will finish the season having played around 43 games. If that happens and he wins the Calder anyway, he would tie the record for the lowest number of games played by a Calder-winning goalie, a record set by Frank Brimsek back in 1939.

It doesn’t help that Wolf also happens to be part of a very strong rookie class. Rookies like Macklin Celebrini, Matvei Michkov and Lane Hutson have been lighting up the NHL offensively in much larger markets. Due to all of this, it’s not hard to be pessimistic about Wolf’s odds, but it does raise a larger question: Is it fair for rookie goaltenders to meet such high standards to win the Calder in this modern era?

Is it time for a new precedent?

The number of games played per season by starting goaltenders has steadily declined since 2009. For instance, the Vezina Trophy winner for the 2008-09 season, Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins, appeared in 54 games. In the five seasons prior, Vezina winners averaged 75 games per season. The following year, the winner played in 67 games. However, it wasn’t until the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season that a noticeable decline in games played became evident. Between 2014 and 2019, Vezina winners averaged just 62 games per season, marking a significant 13-game drop compared to earlier years.

You never see star goaltenders reaching 70 games played anymore like the Martin Brodeurs and Mikka Kiprusoffs of the past. Should a rookie starter have to play in about 60 games to be a serious contender for the Calder? I guess that’s for the voters to decide. 

Where does Wolf rank?

Despite his outstanding play, Wolf has yet to find a solid home anywhere on most people’s Calder standings. He has been ranked as high as 2nd in some places and as low as 7th in others. It just depends on how much the voters value quality over quantity. In the games Wolf has gotten, he has been incredible but he has yet to receive the workload you would expect a starter to carry. Whether that changes in the remaining months of the season, we’ll just have to see.