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Dustin Wolf

Flames Notes: Zadorov, Wolf, Captaincy

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There have yet to be any extension talks between the Flames and Nikita Zadorov, according to the blueliner in an appearance on Sportsnet 960 (audio link).  He indicated that he was waiting for an offer over the summer but one hasn’t come just yet.  The 28-year-old is in the final season of a two-year deal that carries a $3.75MM AAV and is coming off a breakout year offensively, recording 14 goals.  His previous career best in that department was seven in a single season and he had just nine tallies over the prior three years combined.  With that in mind, it isn’t surprising to see Calgary take a wait-and-see approach with Zadorov to see if his offensive prowess last year was a one-off or a sign of things to come.

More from Calgary:

  • In an interview with Sportsnet’s Eric Francis, GM Craig Conroy stated that he wants to get goaltender Dustin Wolf into some NHL games this season but also doesn’t want him to be in a backup role where he’s playing just once a week. Accordingly, it seems likely that their plan for him this season will be to keep him with the AHL’s Wranglers where he was nothing short of dominant in 2022-23 with a 2.09 GAA and a .932 SV% in 55 games and then bring him up for spot starts with the Flames here and there.  With Calgary being quite tight to the salary cap, that plan may require some creative roster movement to accomplish.
  • Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson examines the captain conundrum that the Flames are facing.  The team has been without one since losing Mark Giordano to Seattle two years ago and their most logical candidate – Mikael Backlund – is on an expiring contract and is taking a wait-and-see approach to how the season starts before deciding on potentially starting extension talks.  Elias Lindholm is another logical choice but he’s also on an expiring deal.  In Conroy’s interview with Francis, he confirmed that a captain will be named for this season.

Snapshots: Wolf, Devils, Canucks Cap Overages

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One of the major factors that sunk the Calgary Flames’ 2022-23 season (besides the stunning production decline from team offensive centerpiece Jonathan Huberdeau) was the decline in goaltending quality coach Darryl Sutter’s team received. Jacob Markstrom was a Vezina Trophy contender in his first season as a Flame, posting a .922 save percentage in 63 games. Even backup Daniel Vladar was good, putting up a .906 through 23 starts after his offseason trade from the Boston Bruins. This season, though, both regressed significantly and played to save percentages below .900.

That reality facing the Flames in the crease makes today’s announcement that Calgary’s top prospect Dustin Wolf, 22, was named the league’s Les Cunningham Award Winner. (MVP) Wolf is the American League’s youngest MVP since Jason Spezza won it after his 117-point 2004-05 season, and it comes after he posted a near-bulletproof .932 save percentage in 55 games played. As FloHockey’s Chris Peters notes, this is the fourth straight season Wolf has won Goaltender of the Year in the league he’s played in, and his lowest save percentage as a junior or pro player has been a .924. Although there is much uncertainty facing the Flames organization in the aftermath of former GM Brad Treliving’s departure, Wolf is undoubtedly a player to be excited about.

Some other notes from across the NHL:

  • According to calculations from PuckPedia, the New Jersey Devils will need to deal with an overage charge to next year’s salary cap. Because the team used long-term injured reserve to finish the season above the salary cap, performance bonuses earned by Dawson Mercer and Kevin Bahl will be applied to next year’s cap. As a result, the Devils will have a charge of $422.5K to work around. While that’s not a major number in the grand scheme of the salary cap, assuming the cap does not rise for another season, it will remain notable as long as teams look to maximize every last dollar of cap space.
  • Another team that will have an overage penalty applied to their salary cap next season is the Vancouver Canucks. As PuckPedia notes, while offseason signing Andrei Kuzmenko provided incredible value for his $950k cap hit, that excellent performance actually earned him $850k in bonus dollars, which will result in a Canucks cap charge for next season. While that’s definitely not ideal for the Canucks’ financial picture, Kuzmenko scored 39 goals and 74 points this season and is under contract for another two seasons at a $5.5MM cap hit. It’d be hard to find a single team in the NHL who wouldn’t put up with a small cap overage penalty in order to have that type of production in their lineup.

Minor Notes: Wolf, U18, Viveiros

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The Calgary Flames had a disappointing season that ended with them on the outside of the playoff picture. Their AHL affiliate, on the other hand, has been enjoying a tremendous 2022-23 season and finished first in the AHL standings with a 51-17-4 record. They ended up in first place in the AHL standings and will begin their Calder Cup chase next week. That is little consolation to Flames fans today, who were expecting a competitive NHL team this season, and not just a great minor league team to hand their hat on.

One reason for future hope in Calgary is goaltender Dustin Wolf who played a huge role in the Calgary Wranglers leading the way in the AHL. Wolf was named the winner of the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s best goaltender. The 22-year-old goaltender was the leader in goals-against average (2.09) save percentage (.932) and shutouts with seven. In his final two years of Junior, Wolf was named the top goaltender in the WHL and now he has won that award in his first two pro seasons at the AHL level.

  • USA Hockey announced its roster for the upcoming World Under-18 Championships. The team promises to be a high-scoring one as the roster is headlined by forwards Will Smith, Gabe Perreault, Ryan Leonard, Oliver Moore who will all be selected in the first round of the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft. Cole Eiserman, a top-ranked prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft is also on the roster. USA begins its tournament with a game tomorrow against Latvia. The event is taking place in Switzerland. USA will be looking for its first gold medal at the event since 2017.
  • Per a team release, the Vegas Golden Knights announced Manny Viveiros will be leaving the organization. Viveiros has been the head coach of the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights since their inception in 2020. In their first year of existence, the team had a 25-13-1 record in a Covid-shortened season, and followed that up with a 34-28-5 record in 2021-22. The team struggled this season however, finished outside the Calder Cup Playoffs with a record of 29-38-5. Viveiros’ contract is set to expire on June 30 and it will not be renewed.

Calgary Flames Reassign Three Players

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After the Calgary Flames finished their disappointing season last night, they’ve sent three young players back to the minor leagues to chase a Calder Cup. Jakob Pelletier, Walker Duehr, and Dustin Wolf have been reassigned to the Calgary Wranglers.

Wolf stole the show in the regular season finale, exciting fans from his acrobatic pre-game routine to the final whistle on his debut victory. The 21-year-old netminder, who fell to the seventh round in 2019 because of his size, has dominated every level of hockey so far. An all-time performance in his WHL career led to incredible results in the AHL and now a .958 save percentage in his one-game NHL sample.

Through 53 appearances for the Wranglers this year, the diminutive goalie went 41-9-2 with a .932, and should help them challenge for a league title. Before long, you might see him as a regular in the Flames crease, especially given the struggles of Jacob Markstrom and Daniel Vladar this year.

Pelletier, meanwhile, was the team’s first-round pick in 2019, and has had similar success at the minor league level. In 33 games with the Wranglers this year, he scored 16 goals and 36 points, leading to a significant call-up to the Flames. He recorded seven points through 24 games to start his NHL career and could be a regular as soon as next year.

Duehr, the oldest of the three at 25, was an undrafted free agent signing out of Minnesota State in 2021 and has 11 points in 27 games for the Flames this season. While not as highly regarded in the Calgary system, he’ll lend his size and versatility to the Wranglers as they go on a playoff run as the AHL’s top seed.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Calgary Flames Recall Dustin Wolf

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The Calgary Flames are giving their fans something to look forward to after a disappointing 2022-23 campaign. Top goalie prospect Dustin Wolf has been recalled from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, per the team, and will likely make his first NHL start tonight against the San Jose Sharks.

After being eliminated from playoff contention earlier this week, the Flames will let Wolf show what he can do in the best league in the world. He has very little left to prove in the minors, stonewalling the AHL with a 41-9-2 record, seven shutouts, and a .932 save percentage this season in 53 games.

A Calder Cup win is the next empty checkbox for Wolf, who has very quickly cemented himself among the top young netminders in the world after falling to the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

With both Jacob Markstrom and Daniel Vladar signed through 2025, however, Wolf may have to wait a while to become a full-time NHLer despite being near-ready. The 21-year-old from Gilroy, California, could force the Flames to trade Vladar this offseason, who had a .892 save percentage in 27 games in 2022-23.

2023 AHL All-Star Rosters Announced

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While the focus of many hockey fans is on the upcoming NHL All-Star festivities, the AHL is set to hold its own event to honor the league’s best players. Today, they announced the rosters for the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic, which will be held in Laval, Quebec on February 5-6. Todd Nelson (Hershey), Greg Moore (Toronto), Neil Graham (Texas), and Mitch Love (Calgary) will be the four head coaches.

The rosters are as follows:

Atlantic Division

F Will Cuylle, Hartford Wolf Pack
F Tyson Foerster, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
F Ethen Frank, Hershey Bears
F Matthew Highmore, Springfield Thunderbirds
F Vinni Lettieri, Providence Bruins
F Riley Nash, Charlotte Checkers
F Mike Vecchione, Hershey Bears

D Samuel Bolduc, Bridgeport Islanders
D Xavier Ouellet, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
D Cam York, Lehigh Valley Phantoms

G Brandon Bussi, Providence Bruins
G Joel Hofer, Springfield Thunderbirds

North Division 

F Alex Barré-Boulet, Syracuse Crunch
F Brandon Biro, Rochester Americans
F Gabriel Dumont, Syracuse Crunch
F Anthony Richard, Laval Rocket
F Logan Shaw, Toronto Marlies
F Egor Sokolov, Belleville Senators

D Justin Barron, Laval Rocket
D Noel Hoefenmayer, Toronto Marlies
D David Jiricek, Cleveland Monsters
D Darren Raddysh, Syracuse Crunch

G Nico Daws, Utica Comets
G Joseph Woll, Toronto Marlies

Central Division 

F Riley Barber, Texas Stars
F David Gust, Rockford IceHogs
F Tommy Novak, Milwaukee Admirals
F Lukas Reichel, Rockford IceHogs
F Brett Seney, Rockford IceHogs
F Sammy Walker, Iowa Wild

D Declan Chisholm, Manitoba Moose
D Thomas Harley, Texas Stars
D Max Lajoie, Chicago Wolves
D Brian Lashoff, Grand Rapids Griffins

G Yaroslav Askarov, Milwaukee Admirals
G Jesper Wallstedt, Iowa Wild

Pacific Division

F Thomas Bordeleau, San Jose Barracuda
F Michael Carcone, Tucson Roadrunners
F Seth Griffith, Bakersfield Condors
F Matthew Phillips, Calgary Wranglers
F Andrew Poturalski, Coachella Valley Firebirds
F T.J. Tynan, Ontario Reign

D Ryker Evans, Coachella Valley Firebirds
D Brad Hunt, Colorado Eagles
D Daniil Miromanov, Henderson Silver Knights
D Christian Wolanin, Abbotsford Canucks

G Lukas Dostal, San Diego Gulls
G Dustin Wolf, Calgary Wranglers

Calgary Wranglers Announce Name, Sign Five Players

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After announcing their name yesterday, Calgary’s AHL affiliate has signed five players to AHL contracts for 2022-23. Formerly known as the Stockton Heat, the Calgary Wranglers will begin play at the Scotiabank Saddledome next season.

The five players signed were goalie Daniil Chechelev (whose NHL rights are owned by Calgary), defenseman Simon Lavigne, center Mitch McLain (signed to a two-year deal), defenseman Rhett Rhinehart, and center Brett Sutter.

Chechelev, just 21, was Calgary’s 96th overall selection in the 2020 draft. He played last season in Stockton on an AHL deal, having yet to sign his entry-level contract. He was sent to the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks for the vast majority of the season, where he compiled a 12-12-5 record, 3.64 goals against average, .894 save percentage, and one shutout. He sits fifth on the organization’s depth chart behind Oscar Dansk and Dustin Wolf, and he’ll likely be loaned back to the ECHL this season.

Lavigne joins the Wranglers after serving as the captain of the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada last season, notching six goals and 30 assists for 36 points in 65 games. McLain, 28, signs a two-year pact in Calgary after scoring 17 goals in 76 games last season with the Milwaukee Admirals. Rhinehart posted 27 points in 53 games last year as an alternate captain with the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades. Sutter joins his father’s organization after spending the last five seasons as the captain of the Ontario Reign.

AHL Announces 2021-22 All-Rookie Team

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With the AHL season coming to a close and the Calder Cup playoffs right around the corner, awards and accolades are starting to be handed out. Today, the league announced the 2021-22 All-Rookie Team, which is voted on by coaches, players, and media. Though not a guarantee of future NHL success, the AHL rookie team has a long history of star players including captains, Stanley Cup champions, and future Hall of Fame members.

The 2021-22 selections:

G Dustin Wolf, Stockton Heat (Calgary Flames)

D Jack Rathbone, Abbotsford Canucks (Vancouver Canucks)

D Jordan Spence, Ontario Reign (Los Angeles Kings)

F Jakob Pelletier, Stockton Heat (Calgary Flames)

F J.J. Peterka, Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres)

F Jack Quinn, Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres)

While each of the winners is a player to keep an eye on, it’s once again Wolf that seems to stand out among the crowd. While the forwards are all high draft picks, and the defensemen fourth-round selections, Wolf has continued to impress since being the 214th overall pick in 2019. Selected with the fourth-last pick in the draft, the undersized netminder simply stops the puck better than almost all of his competitors.

This season, his first in the AHL, Wolf went 33-8-4 with a .924 save percentage, leading the entire league in wins. Given the fact that Calgary is also a true contender for the Stanley Cup, it’s incredibly impressive to have two players on the All-Rookie team this season.

In Buffalo, things are getting very exciting as a new wave of talent emerges to try and drag the organization back to the playoffs. Peterka and Quinn were both outstanding in their rookie years, with the latter actually scoring at a better rate than almost anyone else. Quinn’s 59 points in 44 games is a better per-game rate than any qualified player other than T.J. Tynan and Andrew Poturalski, the league’s best two forwards. With the other young talent already in Buffalo, things are looking up for the Sabres.

Dustin Wolf Recalled On Emergency Basis

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The Calgary Flames will have a backup goaltender tonight with just 19 games of AHL experience. One that was selected 214th overall in 2019. One that is just 20 years old. They’ll also have a backup goaltender who has lost just six games since the end of the 2019-20 season.

Dustin Wolf has been recalled by the Flames under emergency conditions as Dan Vladar has been designated non-roster for tonight’s game against the Seattle Kraken. Brett Ritchie will also be unavailable as he was placed in the COVID protocol and did not travel with the team. Byron Froese has been assigned to the taxi squad.

Wolf, 20, was deemed too small in his draft year, so fell all the way to the seventh round, nearly going undrafted altogether despite leading the WHL in both save percentage (.936) and goals-against average (1.69). He went 41-15-2 for the Everett Silvertips that season and came back in 2019-20 to once again league the league in both categories, taking home CHL Goaltender of the Year honors. His 2020-21 season with the Silvertips was much of the same, as Wolf posted a .940 and 1.80 GAA while going 18-3.

He’s too small for professional hockey, some said, but Wolf has continued that outstanding play this season in the AHL. With a 14-0-2 record, .940 save percentage, and 1.84 GAA for the Stockton Heat, he’s done nothing but stop the puck at the pro level. While there’s still a long way to go before he puts up numbers like that in the NHL (or even receives playing time), it’s hard to bet against–and easy to root for–the young netminder.

Dustin Wolf Wins WHL Goalie Of The Year (Again)

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Dustin Wolf refuses to go along with the scouting norms. The Calgary Flames prospect just keeps winning, collecting the WHL Goaltender of the Year award for the second year in a row. Wolf had another incredible season, posting a .940 save percentage in 22 appearances with the Everett Silvertips, going 18-3 in the process with four shutouts. He added a gold medal with the U.S. World Junior squad as well, while also making his professional debut with the Stockton Heat of the AHL.

Not bad for the 214th overall pick in 2019.

There has been no stopping (or perhaps plenty of it?) Wolf at the junior level, where he has won almost every trophy imaginable during his time with the Silvertips. He will leave the WHL with a career record of 106-34-6, 24 shutouts and a .935 save percentage. He becomes only the fourth goaltender since 2001 to win the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy multiple times, joining Cam Ward, Chet Pickard, and fellow Silvertips alumni Carter Hart.

Now, the question will be whether his size holds him back at the next level. Wolf measures in at a generous 6’0″ and weighs just 168 lbs, which would make him one of the smallest goaltenders in the NHL. That’s exactly why he slipped to the seventh round, but it is impossible to ignore what he has done since the Flames took a chance on him two years ago.

Recently, there has been something of a resurgence of small goaltenders. Alex Nedeljkovic, a finalist for the Calder Trophy this season, faced a similar uphill battle because of his six-foot stature, but took advantage of an opportunity in Carolina and posted outstanding numbers for the Hurricanes this season. Juuse Saros, who many believe should have been a finalist for the Vezina this year is officially listed at 5’11”. Anton Khudobin is also listed at 5’11” and carried the Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup Final last year. Jonathan Bernier (6’0″), Antti Raanta (6’0″), and Jaroslav Halak (5’11”) are other goaltenders who have found plenty of success in the NHL despite not being quite as lengthy as their contemporaries.

There’s no guarantee that Wolf makes it, but at this point, it doesn’t make much sense to bet against him. He’ll get a chance to show what he can do at the pro level next season, which will end up being the first season of his three-year entry-level deal (the contract was signed in 2020, but will slide forward this year after he spent the season in junior).

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