Wolf finally gets his time to shine in net for Flames
It's no knock on the outgoing goalie, but Calgary Flames fans should already be focused on another guy.
The Flames made a deal Wednesday with the Devils, announcing that workhorse netminder Jacob Markstrom — the starter at the Saddledome since 2021 — has been traded to New Jersey, ending months of speculation about a swap between the sides.
In return for Markstrom, the Flames receive a top 10-protected first-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft and defenceman Kevin Bahl, who should immediately be a regular on the blue line in Calgary.
They also open a full-time roster spot for prized puck-stopping prospect Dustin Wolf.
That is perhaps, from the Flames' perspective, the best part.
It's past time for Wolf, who turned 23 in April, to have a permanent spot in the home locker-room at the Saddledome.
Wolf gained some experience during the 2023-24 campaign, being tapped for 14 starts at the top level. He capped his latest call-up with four consecutive victories, leaving little doubt he is ready for prime time.
Some will continue to insist Wolf is too small to be an NHL stalwart, but we're not betting against him.
Wednesday's trade certainly won't improve the Flames' chances of earning a playoff invite next spring. The opposite, actually. Markstrom reinforced this past season that he is still among the NHL'S elite netminders. If not for his performance, Craig Conroy and company might be headed to Las Vegas next week with a top-five selection in the 2024 NHL draft.
For that reason, many in Calgary were feeling a bit disappointed Wednesday.
Some were hoping Markstrom would stick around as the backbone for this retooling team. At 34, you can understand why he was angling for an opportunity to suit up for a contender. When asked about his best memories in Calgary, he mentioned the birth of his son and then a dominant run in 2021-22, when the Flames rolled to a Pacific Division pennant with 50 wins. As he put it: “That's a feeling I want to get back to.”
Others, meanwhile, were hoping for a bigger haul for one of Conroy's best trade chips, such as New Jersey's first-rounder this summer, at No. 10 overall, or one of its top-flight prospects. With one goal in 82 loggings with the Devils this winter, Dahl is much more a role player than an edge-of-your seat sort.
Just don't underestimate the part of the return that wasn't listed in Wednesday's news release — an opportunity for Calgary's goaltender of the future to finally be their goaltender right now. In limited showcases at the NHL level, Wolf has so far posted an 8-7 record with a 3.03 goals-against average and .896 save percentage. Those numbers will improve as he gets more comfortable on the biggest stage.
If training camp opened tomorrow, Wolf would be battling Dan Vladar for starting duties. (It's a good thing that camp doesn't open tomorrow, since Vladar is still recovering from hip surgery.)
Though you want to be careful that one of your up-and-comers isn't thrown to the lions, there is nothing left for Wolf to prove with the AHL'S Wranglers. And if you're committed to enduring the growing pains now so that you can reap the rewards later, the youth movement should apply to the crease, too.
So while Wednesday's headline was a farewell to Markstrom, Wolf 's official welcome to the NHL is also a significant part of the story.