Dustin Wolf discussion thread

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

One risk with Wolf is does he continue to perform as shooters develop a book about him around the league, including identifying any weaknesses. And can he then adjust.
That’s one of the reasons for giving it more time before signing a long-term deal. We’ve seen goalies come in, perform, and then once a weakness is found it is exploited.
Do I think that will happen with Wolf? No. But it’s a risk.

That’s the nature of the position - the best goalies adapt.

Wolf has adapted to every level he’s ever played, like the Borg.

Resistance is something something.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Resistance is something something.

Your inspirational and/or intimidating slogans could definitely use some work.

[The Fonz]

6yrs @ $5M

I don’t think Wolf could realistically expect/demand more than that? Maybe I’m way off here, but some of these predictions of $7M+ seem wild to me.

[Funkhouser]

I think the Flames should sit on any negotiations until mid next season when he is in the clear starters role. We may be able to lock him up cheaper this off-season, but it is best to reduce risk when committing long term.

If by then he is truly established and consistent as a #1, try to lock him up for 8 years (I imagine $7.5M gets it done).

I agree with some others in this thread who cite goalies who come into the league hot, and fade once the book on them is out. The elite goalies adapt their game, the average ones fade away. We still need to see what Wolfie is (I have faith he is a legit #1).

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

6yrs @ $5M

I don’t think Wolf could realistically expect/demand more than that? Maybe I’m way off here, but some of these predictions of $7M+ seem wild to me.

A rookie goalie leading a bottom-3 offensive team to the playoffs would warrant $7M+.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Imagine if the Flames hadn’t have drafted him in the seventh round.

The probably liked him enough to have invited him to development camp as a walk-on, but then perhaps so might’ve another team.

Wolf would’ve gone back to the Silvertips and put in a stellar season and who knows — might have been subsequently drafted earlier; like in the second or third round.

Wolf wasn’t an obscurity. Teams were well aware of his ability.

[stemit14]

It really is so much fun to watch him play. He already deserves to be in the conversation as one of the top 5 goalies in the league but I think he is definitely the most entertaining goalie to watch. His movements are so quick and he reads plays so well as opposed to just being “big”.

And my favourite trait is that he is a calming influence on the team. Something the flames have not had since Kipper. He the type of goalie with ice in his veins… just like Kipper. Guys like Smith, Hiller, Markstrom could have runs of good/decent goaltending and could steal games as well but they were never a calming influence back there. They would overreact to bad goals or mistakes from defencemen. They would let one bad goal or one bad game spiral into something worse. I prefer a goalie that the team knows will be calm and collected no matter what happens.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

A rookie goalie leading a bottom-3 offensive team to the playoffs would warrant $7M+.

Probably but this hasn't happened yet...there are also 4 teams with less goals per game

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Your inspirational and/or intimidating slogans could definitely use some work.

Disagree. He had me at resistance.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

6yrs @ $5M

I don’t think Wolf could realistically expect/demand more than that? Maybe I’m way off here, but some of these predictions of $7M+ seem wild to me.

Why would he sign 6 years then? Why not 3 and force their hand sooner?

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Disagree. He had me at resistance.

Me too, but he talked past the sale and lost me at the second ‘something’.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Probably but this hasn't happened yet...there are also 4 teams with less goals per game

They’re 29th in GF.

No points for being the tallest dwarf.

[Aarongavey]

To me the key is term. Given that the Flames will have no cap issues for at least 4 years even if they overpay I would rather have him (and Zary, Coronato, Pellletier) for as long as possible. Given the skyrocketing cap those deals will likely all be good deals, even if they look like overpays on day one.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

They’re 29th in GF.

No points for being the tallest dwarf.

And 32nd since Oct 14th, after scoring 16 goals in their 1st 3 games.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

6yrs @ $5M

I don’t think Wolf could realistically expect/demand more than that? Maybe I’m way off here, but some of these predictions of $7M+ seem wild to me.

If that's the offer, he'll simply go year to year until UFA.

The idea is to get him to sign an 8 year deal. That will cost the Flames some cap to get him to commit UFA years.

[Cheese]

Darren with a good write up..


Did anybody else feel déjà vu going into Calgary’s game on Saturday in Winnipeg? If so, it was for good reason. Thirteen years ago, a 23-year-old rookie, who also starred for Everett (WHL), got the start against one of the NHL’s elite teams to wrap up a tough road trip. It was January 5, 2012, and a young man named Leland Irving — the Flames’ first-round pick in 2006 and goaltender of the future, or so the organization hoped — drew the start at TD Garden against the NHL’s No. 1 club in the Boston Bruins.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1881030754487918639

[Erick Estrada]

Good write up for sure Cheese. It's a little painful reading about how badly the Flames have whiffed on goaltenders the last two decades but I imagine a lot of teams have similar records trying to find a franchise goaltender. Wolf has definitely exceeded expectations and now it's a matter of building a better team around him in the coming seasons.

[redmile04]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

6yrs @ $5M

I don’t think Wolf could realistically expect/demand more than that? Maybe I’m way off here, but some of these predictions of $7M+ seem wild to me.

Yeah in 2010 maybe lol

[Vinny01]

Wolf is playing the role of Johnny Gaudreau in this new Conroy era of the Flames. The undersized American who was a late round steal due to his small stature but has dominated in every league he has played and is showing that it likely is going to translate to the top league in the world.

Wolf being elite does make it difficult for this team to acquire elite talent at the top of the draft and could single handed it drag this team to a playoff spot. I hope Wolf gets 30 of the last 37 starts and see how far he can take this team.

Had the Flames been able to keep Tkachuk, Gaudreau, and Hanifin it would have been interesting to see how long this team could have contended with pieces like Zary, Coronato, and Wolf all looking like varying degrees of the real deal.

[The Fonz]

I understand inflation, but...

6yrs ago, Binnington signed 2yrs @ 4.4M after he won the cup.

4yrs ago, Sorokin signed 3yrs @ 4.0M after a .920sv% rookie season (regular season + playoffs combined).

3yrs ago, Oettinger signed for 3yrs @ 4.0M. This after a 30-15-1 regular season, .914sv%, 2.53gaa, and a .954sv% in 7 playoff games versus the Flames.



Wolf's impressive '24/25 season so far:
16-7-2
.917sv%
2.50gaa

6yrs @ 5M is not close?