Most franchise-changing concept choices are selected in the top-five or top 10, not on the 214th general in the seventh round of the NHL entry. The seventh round pick of the Calgary Flames’ 2019, Dustin Wolf, however, seems to be a franchise-changing goalkeeper after a phenomenal Rookie season in 2024-25, where he ended as a Calder Memorial Trophy Finalist.
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Wolf made his NHL debut in the last match of the Flames of the 2022-23 season against the San Jose Sharks and made 22 Saves on 23 Schoten for his first career victory. He struggled in his first 15 games of 2023-24 before he finally The schedule of the Flames Cracking from Training Camp in 2024-25. In his first full season in the NHL, he finished seventh in goals saved above, 11th in Save percentage and 11th in high Danger savings percentage among goalkeepers to play 1000 minutes last season.
Wolf was not only one of the most impactful rookies last season, but he was also one of the most impactful goalkeepers in the NHL. Here is a look at his three best versions of 2024-25.
Wolf’s first career shutout
Wolf had an excellent start to the season, won his first two starts and saved 68 of 72 shots against the Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks. His first really memorable match, however, was on November 11, when Wolf excludes the Nashville predators, which resulted in a 2-0 win for the Flames.
While the predators ended up last season when the second worst offensive team in the NHL, in this match from the mid -November, they exerted the pressure on the flames. Wolf ended the night with 29 Saves, nine of which were made on shots with a high more danger and another 10 were made in means of average opportunities.
The shutout was not the only thing that made this version special. The expectations of the flames were not high for the seasonBut after their 2-0 win over the predators, Calgary was in a play-off place and many started to believe that Wolf de team A potential play -off candidate.
Wolf excludes Stanley Cup champions
After their 2023-24 Stanley Cup victory, the Florida Panthers were unmistakably the best team in the NHL, and after loading talent during the Handelsdeadline of 2025, they again established that place by winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup.
The first time the flames matched the Panthers in 2024-25, they were one point from a wildcard spot in the Western conference on their way to a match of December 14, 2024, match in the Scotiabank Saddledome. With the Flames in Playoff Contention, a game versus the defensive Cup champions was a great measuring stick to see how the flames were measured against the best team in the competition.
On that night the Panthers dominated the Puck and ended with a plus-18 shot attempt. Not the pressure of the Panthers Faze Wolf. He took out the Panthers and saved all 32 shots, including seven shots with a high dangers, seven chances for medium dance and 2.61 goals saved above.
This 3-0 win was an important confidential builder for Wolf. He already built an impressive CV, but after this victory his confidence rose to a new level and led the flames to a 10-3-1 record in his start to the rest of December and January.
Wolf closes the winners of the trophy of presidents
Wolf registered his third shutout of the season at the beginning of March, a 26-save, 1-0 victory against the Montreal Canadiens, making him the first Flames Rookie goalkeeper to record three shutouts In a season. These performance were close to making the list. His 38-SAVE version on January 18, a 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg jets, was a bit more impressive despite the fact that he left one goal past him.
On the way to this matchup against the jets, the flames were on a Wildcard spot and the jets had the best record in the Western Conference before they complete the season with the best record in the NHL. In this measuring stick game, Wolf stopped 38 of 39 shots, including 15 rescues of third period, to ward off the late game pressure from the jets. Of these 38 Saves, nine of them came on high-danger shots and a nine came on medium-sized shots. He ended the game with a .974 savings percentage and 3.32 goals saved above.
Wolf Stal this match last season of the best team for regular season in the NHL. He saved more goals above the expected than the Flames had expected goals as a team. They had no things in that game, but he showed it as a comfortable victory.
Wolf could be the franchisegary of Flames
The Rookie season of Wolf was phenomenal. At the age of 24, the Flames can say comfortably that they have their keeper of the future after exchanging Jacob Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils last season. Wolf has only one year on his contract. He can sign an extension at any time.
After Wolf Back-to-Back Baz Bastien Memorial Awards had won (the award of the American Hockey League for the best goalkeeper) and as a finalist of Calder Trophy, it would be shocking not to see the flames extend for the next offse season. He was their best player last season and could be for the coming seasons.
All statistics via Natural Stat Trick
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