[News] Wolf named AHL MVP and goaltender of the year

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

if there is one player in every draft, then 31 fan bases will lament the failure to draft that guy.
Turns out the Flames having drafted Fox, Gaudreau and Wolf are pretty good at finding and drafting that one guy

TBH they actually have been. It's why I am a bit supporter of Button in the draft.

They really liked Kucherov in his draft year (imagine if they got Kucherov and Gaudreau in that draft). Mangiapane would fit the bill too. Poirier fits that bill a bit too. I liked the Ryan Francis and Roy Kerins picks at the times even if they haven't panned out. Rumors were that Conroy actually had met with Hutson and Hutson thought the Flames might take him...too bad they didn't.

One thing you can't fault the Treliving / Button drafting combo on is taking shots on undersized guys. Although in the last couple drafts I do think they have shied away from it a bit more.

Originally Posted by dino7c

little early to be counting these guys no?

Well not for Maccelli who should be a Calder finalist.

And it's not just about them becoming NHLer but upping their value from when the draft was. Zellweger it's a bit early but I would be ecstatic if he was a Flames prospect. Pastujov looks like great value for a third round pick too.

Hutson is doing things not done since Brian Leetch and I honestly think the Flames not taking him and taking Topi Ronni instead is going to be a huge regret. Pretty sure that's exactly what I said in the Topi Ronni draft thread actually.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

TBH they actually have been. It's why I am a bit supporter of Button in the draft.

They really liked Kucherov too. Rumors were that Conroy actually had met with Hutson and Hutson thought the Flames might take him...too bad they didn't.

They must have loved Topi Ronni's name.

[stemit14]

Very impressive for him to keep this up. He looks like such a valuable piece to the flames’ future. Can anyone that has watched him play more speak to his demeanour in the ice? He looked very calm and collected in his NHL debut. Which is great. I would love for the flames to have a goalie that’s a calming influence back there.

Honestly, the last goalie that the flames had that did that was kipper. I always loved how whether he made an amazing save or let in a goal… he reacted the exact same way after the whistle blew: he got up, he took a drink and he got ready to go again. No freaking out on his defensemen (like Mike Smith) or losing it on a ref over a missed call 2 minutes earlier (like Markstrom).

It’s not to say that Markstrom didn’t have a great year in 2021-2022… he absolutely did. And I know lots of people praise certain goalies for how passionate they are on the ice. But I have always preferred a goalie that was calm and cool no matter what. Obviously the most important thing is for them to be skilled (which Wolf obviously is)… but a goalie with ice in his veins can be a bonus.


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[devo22]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1648766873524133903

kid is absolutely ridiculous. Seriously, I struggle to think of a young goalie who consistently dominated at different levels like that with virtually no hiccups. He'd have broken the WHL all-time shutout record too if not for Covid.

EDIT: the .928% thing is wrong though, he only had a .924% for Stockton last season. Bust.

[SuperMatt18]

Wolf being the Goalie of the Year for 4 straight seasons really is remarkable though.

Get taken with the 4th from last pick of the draft, go on to win goalie of the year the next 4 years that you play in top leagues.

Goalies are still voodoo though so I try to not get too excited.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Wolf being the Goalie of the Year for 4 straight seasons really is remarkable though.

Get taken with the 4th from last pick of the draft, go on to win goalie of the year the next 4 years that you play in top leagues.

Goalies are still voodoo though so I try to not get too excited.

They're only voodoo if they're not given the chance to progress or in some cases injury's. Ken Dryden mentioned this when talking about Carey Price, he felt Price wasn't going to get better in Hamilton and it could stall his development, Habs must have listened as he was called up and the rest is history.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by devo22

https://twitter.com/user/status/1648766873524133903

kid is absolutely ridiculous. Seriously, I struggle to think of a young goalie who consistently dominated at different levels like that with virtually no hiccups. He'd have broken the WHL all-time shutout record too if not for Covid.

EDIT: the .928% thing is wrong though, he only had a .924% for Stockton last season. Bust.

I don't know what more this kid needs to do to be a lock as an NHL star, let alone a regular in the lineup. I get that goalie's are crapshoots, but at some point the hockey gods simply have to give in an and accept that the Flames, for the first time in like forever, have drafted a franchise goalie that can tender the net for a decade plus.

Goalie of the year everywhere he goes? Common now. I always hold back on being optimistic about goalies. But it will break my heart and be so ####ing ridiculous if he doesn't pan out.

This kid is a sure thing...right??

[dobbles]

I still just don't understand how this dude did not spend most of the season in the NHL. You guys had atrocious goaltending all year and this dude has won goalie of the year 4 years in a row.

The sad thing? In the other wolf threads, I've already seen people talking about how IF he makes the team next year he should have a limited role. He needs to be your starter day 1. Regardless of the training camp he has I might add. He has earned that right.

[MissTeeks]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1648798065523060738

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by dobbles

He has earned that right.

He's earned the right to be strongly considered to make the team. He hasn't earned the right to be given the starting role right from the start. He'll have to earn that as an NHL goalie.

The goaltending wasn't good enough this season. That doesn't mean it's not going to be good next season.

[Fire]

Wolf needs to be in the NHL next season. He has already proven all he can in the AHL. No excuses any more. If Wolf plays well he can be the difference maker on whether the Flames are contenders or not next season.

If I was Wolf and was assigned to the AHL again next season I would be asking for a trade.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Inferno

He's earned the right to be strongly considered to make the team. He hasn't earned the right to be given the starting role right from the start. He'll have to earn that as an NHL goalie.

The goaltending wasn't good enough this season. That doesn't mean it's not going to be good next season.

The bottom line is that you make room for a guy like this, especially given how bad both goalies were on the Flames roster for much of the season. What he is doing is unprecedented and the Flames need to recognize this sooner than later. This likely means Vladar is moving on as the most moveable of the two.

If you want it to come down to a sham competition at camp go for it, but if it were me I would be giving Wolf every indication that he's earned the NHL spot - what is left to prove in the AHL? - and how much he plays next year will be up to how he performs in the bigs. If this is not the play I will seriously lose any remaining patience that I have left for this organization.

[dobbles]

Originally Posted by Inferno

He's earned the right to be strongly considered to make the team. He hasn't earned the right to be given the starting role right from the start. He'll have to earn that as an NHL goalie.

The goaltending wasn't good enough this season. That doesn't mean it's not going to be good next season.

I know you guys have this thing as a fan base about the 'always earned, never given' type b.s., but it needs to stop. This is about maximizing your assets and putting your players in a position to succeed. Even if Wolf has a terrible camp, you start him. Because years of success have shown you what he is and what he can bring. And quite frankly, if he isn't that guy at the NHL level, might as well figure that out sooner rather than later, right?

Again, we have to take this development philosophy out of sports and frame it in any other context. YOu have a sales guy that has set records every quarter in his territories. Even as they get bigger and more complex. The guys on your top level clients have been coming up short all year. Are you really going to keep the young guy back because "he hasn't earned it"??? He's done everything asked of him and crushed it. If you don't promote him, in any industry that has any sort of open employment, dude is gone. You've just lost your top earner to your competitor. Obviously that can't happen in this case, but you have indeed disincentivized him.

I just don't see how you can ever tell Wolf to put on an AHL jersey again. If I were him and got told that, I would say, "what for?" And that wouldn't make me weak minded or not loyal, it would make me someone that knows my value.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by dobbles

I know you guys have this thing as a fan base about the 'always earned, never given' type b.s., but it needs to stop. This is about maximizing your assets and putting your players in a position to succeed. Even if Wolf has a terrible camp, you start him. Because years of success have shown you what he is and what he can bring. And quite frankly, if he isn't that guy at the NHL level, might as well figure that out sooner rather than later, right?

Again, we have to take this development philosophy out of sports and frame it in any other context. YOu have a sales guy that has set records every quarter in his territories. Even as they get bigger and more complex. The guys on your top level clients have been coming up short all year. Are you really going to keep the young guy back because "he hasn't earned it"??? He's done everything asked of him and crushed it. If you don't promote him, in any industry that has any sort of open employment, dude is gone. You've just lost your top earner to your competitor. Obviously that can't happen in this case, but you have indeed disincentivized him.

I just don't see how you can ever tell Wolf to put on an AHL jersey again. If I were him and got told that, I would say, "what for?" And that wouldn't make me weak minded or not loyal, it would make me someone that knows my value.

Well I think you touched on the most likely outcome from not getting him on the NHL roster to start next year and that's disincentivizing him and killing all the momentum he's built.

Telling a star prospect like this that he lost out to two guys because of a mediocre camp that were nearly both the worst at the position in the league last year could really hit Wolf between the ears.

[EVERLAST]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

Well I think you touched on the most likely outcome from not getting him on the NHL roster to start next year and that's disincentivizing him and killing all the momentum he's built.

Telling a star prospect like this that he lost out to two guys because of a mediocre camp that were nearly both the worst at the position in the league last year could really hit Wolf between the ears.

I disagree strongly . Listen to his Interviews . ...this kid is without any EGO , false pride, pride etc etc. He knows he's got a team in front of him and he's a part of that...NOT an individual GREAT....he's gonna be fine .

He's not strutting around telling the world how great he is....or do you know who I am....for.this Is not a.game of who the F are you....lol...

Don't jinx him with your voodoo.

[albertGQ]

I was actually surprised he was still available in the 7th round. I get THN Draft preview every year and they had him as a late 3rd rounder.

So even when we picked him with our 7th pick, I figured it was very good value at the time. But no way did I ever think he'd be this good

[GioforPM]

This is all going to be a moot point at camp next year. Wolf will clearly be 1 or 2 in camp. And I don't think Sutter will be bending over backwards to try and keep Vladar anyway.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by dobbles

I know you guys have this thing as a fan base about the 'always earned, never given' type b.s., but it needs to stop. This is about maximizing your assets and putting your players in a position to succeed. Even if Wolf has a terrible camp, you start him. Because years of success have shown you what he is and what he can bring. And quite frankly, if he isn't that guy at the NHL level, might as well figure that out sooner rather than later, right?

Again, we have to take this development philosophy out of sports and frame it in any other context. YOu have a sales guy that has set records every quarter in his territories. Even as they get bigger and more complex. The guys on your top level clients have been coming up short all year. Are you really going to keep the young guy back because "he hasn't earned it"??? He's done everything asked of him and crushed it. If you don't promote him, in any industry that has any sort of open employment, dude is gone. You've just lost your top earner to your competitor. Obviously that can't happen in this case, but you have indeed disincentivized him.

I just don't see how you can ever tell Wolf to put on an AHL jersey again. If I were him and got told that, I would say, "what for?" And that wouldn't make me weak minded or not loyal, it would make me someone that knows my value.

I'm a firm believer that this organization's insistence on a player having to "prove it at the NHL level" without actually giving the player the opportunity to prove it at the NHL level has held back prospects in this org for a long time now.

At some point you need to play the player in the role they are best suited to at the NHL level and let them develop there.

I don't think for Wolf that means he needs to be a starter. But I do think for his development he needs to play at least 25 NHL games next season.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

The bottom line is that you make room for a guy like this, especially given how bad both goalies were on the Flames roster for much of the season. What he is doing is unprecedented and the Flames need to recognize this sooner than later. This likely means Vladar is moving on as the most moveable of the two.

If you want it to come down to a sham competition at camp go for it, but if it were me I would be giving Wolf every indication that he's earned the NHL spot - what is left to prove in the AHL? - and how much he plays next year will be up to how he performs in the bigs. If this is not the play I will seriously lose any remaining patience that I have left for this organization.

I'm not arguing making room for him. Just the part about handing him the starting job.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by dobbles

I know you guys have this thing as a fan base about the 'always earned, never given' type b.s., but it needs to stop. This is about maximizing your assets and putting your players in a position to succeed. Even if Wolf has a terrible camp, you start him.

No, you don't.

There's people on here who are way too impatient. I'm all for trading Vladar to make room for him. But you don't just hand him the starting role to start the season. And I doubt they will.