Whereas there are a number of completely different choices, the overall consensus is that the Calgary Flames will give Dustin Wolf at the least half the begins for the 2024-25 season. It’s a tall activity for the just lately signed goaltender, who has simply 18 video games of expertise below his belt. Nevertheless, the current commerce of Jacob Markstrom signifies administration feels he’s prepared for the chance.
Associated: 7 Flames Preventing for a Roster Spot Subsequent Season
Regardless of being eligible for waivers for yet one more season, Wolf has nothing else to show within the American Hockey League (AHL). The 23-year-old was named goalie of the yr in every of his first two seasons and the AHL’s MVP in his second marketing campaign. After some longing anticipation, he seems set for the chance many Flames followers have been begging for. Sadly, it could not go the way in which they hope.
Flames Have a Gutted D-Core
As I wrote just lately, the Flames have an opportunity to be a bottom-three group within the NHL this coming season. That, after all, is by design, as common supervisor Craig Conroy made the lengthy overdue resolution to place this group via a rebuild, with the purpose of being a aggressive group as soon as once more when their new area opens in 2027.
That plan goes effectively up to now. The Flames have added some very intriguing prospects, most notably Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz, who determine to be part of this group’s long-term future. Whereas the long-term future seems fairly good, nevertheless, it might lead to some struggles over the subsequent few seasons.
The Flames, who entered the 2023-24 season with one of many NHL’s higher blue strains, have the polar reverse now. MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson are very dependable choices; issues drop off instantly after. Daniil Miromanov and Brayden Pachal have performed lower than 100 NHL video games, whereas Kevin Bahl, Jake Bean, and Joel Hanley all have performed lower than 200.
This inexperienced and very underwhelming back-end figures to surrender loads of high-quality possibilities towards. For a goalie like Wolf, who has hardly had a style of NHL motion, this might flip right into a catastrophe far greater than many followers anticipate.
It isn’t as if Wolf has a complete lot of confidence in his NHL capabilities simply but. As talked about, the pattern dimension is minimal, however his numbers have been removed from inspiring, with a 3.03 targets towards common (GAA) and a .896 save share (SV%).
Flames Struggles Might Hurt Wolf’s Growth
The perfect-case state of affairs for a rebuilding group is to have a veteran goaltender between the pipes. They’ve already had loads of expertise and customarily a monitor report of success on the NHL degree, which means some short-term struggles received’t shake their confidence. For a goalie who has but to have that success, nevertheless, it might show detrimental to their growth.
Irrespective of how mentally robust a goalie is, seeing losses pile up, mixed with less-than-stellar private numbers similar to GAA and SV%, can take its toll. Wolf’s silver lining is that he has had a ton of success within the AHL, but when he struggles this coming season, that might erase loads of the nice that has occurred to this point in his growth.
Associated: Flames Have A number of Goaltending Choices Following Wolf’s Signing
The most important factor for the Flames is that they should be very cautious with Wolf. That is the very best goalie prospect they’ve had in a very long time, and so they can’t danger ruining what seems to be a vibrant future. Ought to he wrestle within the early going, sending him again to the AHL and as an alternative going to a tandem of Dan Vladar and Devin Cooley could be the best choice to make sure his standing as a future number-one goalie on the NHL degree stays intact.
