The Next Leap Is Here For Flames’ Dustin Wolf

As Dustin Wolf and the Calgary Flames remain in the race for a Western Conference wild-card playoff berth, their goaltending situation has begun to change.

Specifically, rookie goaltender Wolf has emerged from an even split of games with veteran Dan Vladar to get his first real shot at being the Flames’ No. 1 netminder.

For much of the season, Wolf and Vladar split games evenly. But as of Dec. 21, Wolf has played seven of nine games and won his last three games, including on Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

In Wolf’s last nine games, he’s gone 7-1-1, almost singlehandedly keeping the Flames in the thick of the playoff race. But let’s break down those numbers a little more and examine the ups and downs Wolf has experienced this season as he gets a larger workload.

In those recent nine games, Wolf has had a few subpar performances, posting a save percentage of .889 or worse in three games. But in seven of his last nine wins, Wolf has been dominant, putting up an SP of .920 or higher – including his second shutout of the season, a blanking of the defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers.

Some may point out that many of the rookie’s wins have come against sad-sack teams, including the Blackhawks (with two wins), San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks. But Wolf has also beaten the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins since Dec. 17. The bottom line is that wins are wins, no matter who you play against, and Calgary wouldn’t be where they’re at without the wins Wolf has produced.

Another element of Wolf’s success is his ability to put up wins at home and on the road. In his current stretch of strong play, Wolf has posted three road wins, and he’s gone 4-1-1 at home since Dec. 14. That consistency is exactly what Flames management is looking for.

You can see why Calgary coach Ryan Huska has now started to give the majority of starts to Wolf. His 15-6-2 record, .916 SP and 2.50 goals-against average in 23 appearances are significantly better than Vladar’s 6-8-5 record, .888 SP and 3.08 GAA.

Vladar isn’t part of the Flames’ long-term plans, as he’s going to be a UFA at the end of this season. But as Wolf gets more acclimated to the grind of the NHL, his backup over the years ahead will likely be an experienced veteran who knows his role is to support Wolf.

In sum, Wolf has definitely earned the starter’s job in Calgary, and at the young age of 23, he’s a central part of the Flames’ long-term blueprint for success. While there will no doubt be some bumps in the road for him as the Flames nail down its identity, it’s a huge comfort for Calgary fans to know that their netminding picture will be centered around Wolf for a long time.