Greg WyshynskiMar 21, 2025, 07:35 AM ET
Shut
- Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL author.
NEW YORK — Dustin Wolf’s place of origin stinks and he is aware of it.
The Calgary Flames goaltender is a local of Gilroy, California, which proudly expenses itself because the “Garlic Capital of the Global.” Power via its farmland, open the home windows and the smelly smell of the garlic harvest envelops your olfactory gadget like malodorous blanket.
“That is the odor of house,” Wolf instructed ESPN.
{That a} big name rookie goalie would emerge from Northern California used to be not going. Ahead of Wolf, there have been best 4 different California-born goalies in NHL historical past, together with San Diego local Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks, a Vezina Trophy runner-up ultimate season. Wolf’s 60 profession appearances rank 2d on that unique checklist.
Additionally not going: {That a} goalie his top would damage via in 2025. Wolf, 23, is indexed at 6 ft tall right through an technology of towering netminders. Connor Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner and Workforce USA’s starter on the 4 International locations Face-Off, is indexed at 6-foot-4. So is Nashville’s Justus Annunen, 2d in wins amongst newbies this season.
Making the ones odds even longer: There additionally are not many goalies — or gamers for that topic — drafted as past due as Wolf who move directly to have related NHL careers.
Editor’s Choices
2 Comparable
He used to be the 214th participant decided on within the 2019 NHL draft. Most effective 3 gamers have been taken less than him to complete off the 7th spherical. To place that during point of view: Hockey Corridor of Famer Henrik Lundqvist, heralded as without equal diamond within the tough, used to be taken 205th general.
That draft used to be held in Vancouver, Canada. Wolf drove from Everett, Washington, the place he used to be taking part in junior hockey with the Western Hockey League’s Silvertips. After which he waited. And waited. Thru seven rounds of alternatives, he sat there in his swimsuit.
“It used to be roughly at some degree of, ‘OK, let’s take a look at to determine the place I will be able to get invited to an NHL camp.’ And subsequent factor you understand, you listen your title known as,” he stated. “I don’t believe someone anticipated for there to be folks nonetheless ready to be drafted within the enviornment. The stands have been empty. They are packing the entirety up. It is in reality roughly wild how briefly they pack the entirety up.”
Wolf defied the ones odds in making the NHL and has defied expectancies in his first season as a starter. Wolf has backstopped the Flames to the Stanley Cup playoffs bubble as a rookie, with a 22-14-5 report, a .912 save proportion and a 2.62 goals-against reasonable via 41 video games. His 9.63 aims stored above anticipated puts him close to the highest 10 for all netminders in 2024-25. He has completed this on a group that has ranked lifeless ultimate in aims in keeping with recreation for lots of the season.
“It is clearly no secret that he is a large explanation why we are combating for a playoff spot at this time. He is were given numerous swagger and self belief,” Flames ahead Blake Coleman stated. “He is the rationale we have now gained numerous video games, perhaps some we wouldn’t have.”
Within the procedure, he is solidified himself as a contender for the Calder Trophy, given to the NHL’s most sensible rookie. In the newest NHL Awards Watch, Wolf used to be 2d to San Jose Sharks heart Macklin Celebrini some of the citizens surveyed.
“If we are speaking about who has in point of fact been the most productive appearing rookie over the steadiness of the season, it needs to be Dustin Wolf,” one PHWA voter surveyed stated. “What he is finished in Calgary is exceptional. He is the one rookie within the dialogue who is been persistently on the most sensible of his recreation all yr.”
FOR MANY OBSERVERS, Wolf simply burst onto the scene this season. However Calgary trainer Ryan Huska stated there was a meticulous expansion plan in position for the younger goalie: 4 years within the WHL; portions of 4 seasons within the American Hockey League; and a 17-game style of NHL existence ultimate season, when Wolf shared time with present Flames creasemate Dan Vladar and Jacob Markstrom, who used to be traded to the New Jersey Devils within the offseason to transparent a trail for Wolf.
“He is grown up inside our group. Adore it or now not — and a few gamers hate it — every so often taking part in within the American League just a little longer is a truly excellent factor,” Huska stated. “Coming again after the summer season, it used to be absolutely our expectation that he would have any other nice season and take any other step, which he is finished.”
After taking part in an important choice of video games yearly right through his minor league profession, Wolf stated he needed to modify to ultimate season’s position, shuttling from side to side from the AHL and now not getting a lot motion within the NHL till March and April.
“Entering this yr, I had a greater concept that I used to be going to get a possibility. However you continue to needed to earn it,” he stated.
From November via January, Wolf earned it: 16-6-2, with a .919 save proportion and a 2.37 goals-against reasonable. The Flames, picked by means of many to omit the Stanley Cup playoff lower, have been very a lot in competition within the Pacific Department.
Getting into Thursday evening’s recreation opposed to New Jersey, their playoff hopes have been nonetheless flickering: Stathletes gave them a 16% probability of constructing the postseason, odds that have been impacted by means of a torrid St. Louis Blues run to the overall wild-card spot. Wolf does what he can for the Flames at the ice, after which is on the mercy of rival groups as he watches the out-of-town scoreboard.
“Yeah, you might be roughly hoping for some effects. However it is amusing. You wish to have to be in those situations the place you might be combating on your existence. Granted, you most likely wish to be extra solidified within the spot,” he stated. “I feel if we slip in, I haven’t any doubt that it’s going to make it difficult on whoever we play.”
Throughout his transient stint at the NHL roster in 2023-24, Wolf used to be creasemates with veteran Jacob Markstrom (proper), who used to be traded to New Jersey in June. Gerry Thomas/NHLI by means of Getty Pictures
Each and every recreation issues within the standings, however some video games topic past that. The Flames visited Toronto on Monday for a recreation televised nationally throughout Canada. It ended up being Wolf’s maximum humbling trip of the season: He gave up 5 aims on 26 photographs and used to be pulled for the primary time this season.
In Wolf’s protection, the Leafs tallied two power-play aims from Auston Matthews and any other from William Nylander. He noticed a variety of top quality photographs. However Wolf wasn’t accepting excuses after the sport. He particularly sought after Matthews’ 2d objective again. “I used to be all over the place it, and I simply did not get down rapid sufficient,” he stated. “That is one who I will have all day lengthy and simply did not have it.”
He felt unhealthy for wanting Vladar to come back on in aid. He additionally felt unhealthy for, in his estimation, letting his group down. However his teammates were not going to let him stew in the ones feelings. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson, a nine-year veteran, sought out Wolf after the sport, telling him that it wasn’t the ultimate time this used to be going to occur as an NHL goalie, however that one recreation of sadness does not outweigh a season of maintaining Calgary within the playoff hunt.
Which, Wolf admits, used to be great to listen to in that second.
Breaking Information from Emily Kaplan
Obtain the ESPN app and permit Emily Kaplan’s information signals to obtain push notifications for the newest updates first. Choose in by means of tapping the signals bell within the most sensible proper nook. For more info, click on right here.
It wasn’t the primary time Wolf has been pulled in his profession. If truth be told, it is how his profession began, opposed to a group from Toronto no much less.
Wolf made his skilled debut on Feb. 21, 2021, for the AHL Stockton Warmth opposed to the Toronto Marlies. That trip lasted simply over 28 mins, as Wolf gave up 5 aims on 11 photographs sooner than being lifted for Garret Sparks.
“I have no idea if I might name it a take-heed call, however simply roughly like, ‘Welcome to the league.’ You are thrown to the s— and the worst factor that would occur occurs. You’ll be able to’t move any less than that, so all you’ll be able to move from here’s up,” he stated. “In order that’s the most productive phase: You are finding out from it.”
Calgary traveled to New York after the loss to the Leafs. Plans have been for Wolf to hold again on the group resort in Long island on Tuesday morning, however he had to get again at the ice. So he walked a couple of blocks to Madison Sq. Lawn, the place the Flames would face the Rangers that evening, to paintings along with his abilities trainer for an about an hour. Later, Wolf would analyze video from the Leafs recreation, parsing what went mistaken.
“Infrequently you wish to have to return to stuff that is helped you get this a ways,” Wolf stated. “It does not must be the rest loopy. Simply get your ft again beneath you and really feel excellent.”
Wolf stated he by no means thinks about his AHL debut. That loss to the Leafs will in the end be memory-holed too, after it serves its goal as a harsh schooling for a tender participant — one he believes he will be higher for experiencing.
“I am nonetheless understanding this league and I will be figuring it out for a very long time,” Wolf stated. “So it used to be simply a type of steppingstones.”
He returned to the ice on Thursday evening taking a look to rebound opposed to New Jersey. Wolf surrendered 3 aims within the first two classes — one deflecting off his personal defenseman and into the web — however he used to be there when it counted. That used to be very true within the 3rd length, when Wolf saved the rating 3-2 by means of preventing a shorthanded breakaway by means of Devils heart Dawson Mercer:
Dustin Wolf makes a fantastic breakaway save!
: Sportsnet | NHL#Flames percent.twitter.com/QKQszA1GDM
— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) March 21, 2025
Quickly after, the Flames would rating two times in a minute to take the lead en direction a vital comeback highway win, 5-3.
“Infrequently you simply want one save right here or there,” Wolf stated afterwards. “We need to give you the chance. We are in do-or-die vary at this time.”
MORGAN FROST HAS TO consider every so often that his beginning goalie is a rookie.
“I don’t believe that occurs too regularly for that place,” the Calgary ahead stated.
Frost arrived by means of industry from the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 30. Again within the Jap Convention, he had heard about Wolf’s Calder-worthy marketing campaign for the Flames. Seeing it for himself used to be revelatory.
“It is been amusing to observe a few of these video games, particularly the place we are missing some objective scoring and you will have roughly were given to grind it out and win 1-0. You’re feeling excellent when he is again there for the ones,” Frost stated.
Wolf is 4-11-2 in video games the place the offensively challenged Flames scored two or fewer aims this season.
“Granted, I would like us to perhaps rating a pair extra [goals],” he stated. “However now we have numerous talent on this room, and when you put all of it in combination, we paintings truly smartly.”
In spite of now not possessing prototypical dimension for an NHL goaltender, Wolf has excelled this season. Gerry Thomas/NHLI by means of Getty Pictures
The Flames had been a wonder to everybody however the Flames.
“Entering the yr, everybody had us written off as most likely a bottom-five group, and I feel anyone on this room may just inform you that we did not imagine that,” Wolf stated.
His position in raising the Flames has put Wolf into Rookie of the Yr competition. Goalies are incessantly a part of the Calder Trophy dialog — Stuart Skinner (Edmonton), Alex Nedeljkovic (Carolina) and Jordan Binnington (St. Louis) have been all finalists lately. Successful the Calder is any other topic. The ultimate rookie goalie to win NHL Rookie of Yr used to be Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008-09. Over the last 40 years, 5 goalies have gained the Calder: Mason, Andrew Raycroft of the Bruins (2003-04), Evgeni Nabokov of the Sharks (2000-01), Martin Brodeur of the Devils (1993-94) and Ed Belfour of the Blackhawks (1990-91).
Most sensible tales of the week from 
Get unique get admission to to hundreds of top rate articles a yr from most sensible writers.
• Most sensible 50 NBA possibilities in NCAA tourney »
• Who’re the MLB aces in new puts? »
• Score the highest final NFL loose brokers »
Extra ESPN+ content material »
It is the identical tale for league MVP: The NHL hasn’t had a goalie win the Hart Trophy since Montreal’s Carey Value in 2014-15. After Dominik Hasek gained the award in back-to-back seasons from 1996 to 1998, just one goalie captured the Hart but even so Value: Montreal’s Jose Theodore in 2001-02.
Do goalies get sufficient awards love out of doors of their very own trophy, the Vezina?
“Goaltending is the hardest process in sports activities in my thoughts. And do I feel we must be liked extra? Most likely,” Wolf stated. “It’s the most productive place although. You would not wish to be any place else. When issues are going nice, you might be on most sensible of the arena, and when issues don’t seem to be so sizzling, you might be roughly on the backside of the stomping block.”
Wolf appreciates the beef up surrounding his Calder candidacy — “It is cool to have your title out like that,” he stated — however his center of attention is squarely on incomes the risk to play video games past the common season.
“We are within the struggle for our lives and coming into the playoffs,” he stated. “I do not wish to center of attention on the rest out of doors of that and I haven’t any keep an eye on over what folks wish to assume. All I will be able to do is attempt to forestall as many pucks as I will be able to.”
The awards consideration is a fascinating shift in point of view for Wolf, the height-challenged goalie from Gilroy and the participant drafted 3 slots clear of being “Mr. Beside the point.”
“I have been underrated my entire profession, a big majority of it because of how tall I stand,” he stated. “And I feel that is a blessing in cover, as a result of then you’ll be able to simply move about your small business.”
