Flames goalie and Calder Trophy finalist joins elite cast of first-year stars
Howl-y smokes!
It may be the summertime, but Dustin Wolf is making headlines again after been named to the NHL’s 2024-25 All-Rookie Team.
Wolf, who had a 29-16-8 record, 2.64 goals-against average and .910 save percentage last season, was awarded the honour alongside forwards Macklin Celibrini (SJS), Matvei Mitchkov (PHI), Cutter Gauthier (ANA), and defencemen Denton Mateychuk (CBJ) and 2024-25 Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson (MTL).
Wolf was unanimously selected among voters from the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. He is the first Flames goalie who has been voted to the All-Rookie Team and the franchise’s third representative (at any position) this century, joining forward Johnny Gaudreau in 2014-15 and defenceman Dion Phaneuf in 2005-06.
Wolf, 24, led all rookie netminders with 29 wins – 14 more than the next-closest and only one shy of the franchise record set by Hall-of-Famer Mike Vernon, who went 30-22-1, in 1986-87.
Wolf did best Vernon in two categories, though, setting new single-season franchise records for starts (53) and shutouts (3).
Only three U.S.-born rookie goaltenders have earned more victories in a single season than Wolf’s 29: Jimmy Howard (37 in 2009-10 with Detroit), Frank Brimsek (33 in 1938-39 with Boston) and Ryan Miller (30 in 2005-06 with Buffalo).
“I came into the year splitting starts and there was nothing given – you had to earn it and it was a great battle with Vladdy all year,” Wolf said after being nominated for the Calder last month. “From the coaching staff down, the boys had my back through thick and thin. There were going to be stretches along the way where things don’t go your way, but I had their back and they had mine, and I’m just fortunate the staff gave me a chance to prove that I continue to belong in this league and I can help our team win as many hockey games as I can.”
Flames goalie makes big save on Macklin Celebrini
Rookie or not, Wolf was one of the NHL’s top puck-stoppers last year.
Period.
The Gilroy, Calif. product made at least 25 saves in 35 of his 53 appearances and allowed two or fewer goals 25 times. At 5-on-5, his .848 high-danger save percentage ranked fourth among goalies with at least 50 appearances, trailing Connor Hellebuyck (WPG), Darcy Kuemper (LAK) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL) – all of whom were finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top ‘tender. In all, he stopped 18.39 goals above expected, and 9.54 above expected from the high-danger locations, ranking fourth in both categories as well.
“We saw what he was able to do at the end of the year prior because of Dan (Vladar)’s injury, so he had opportunities to play and I thought he was good in those games,” Head Coach Ryan Huska said on the Big Show with Rusic & Rose on Sportsnet 960 The Fan earlier this week. “But as a coach, you’re wondering, ‘Well, how’s he going to stand up when he’s in there more often? Or he’s playing against the elite players in the league? Are they going to be able to pick him apart?’ Because the one thing he can’t control is his size.
“You soon found out very quickly that it matters not at all, because he’s so intelligent upstairs that he reads the play better than any goaltender I’ve been around.
“He’s able to arrive on those passes that go from one side of the ice to the other on his feet. That’s how smart he is. So, you quickly learned early on that his size is not going to be an issue for him.
“His ceiling is real high and we’re quite excited that we’re going to have him for hopefully years to come.”
Wolf finished second in Calder Trophy voting, earning 15 first-place votes, 96 second-place votes, 59 third-place votes, 17 fourth-place votes, and 1 fifth-place vote from the 191 eligible voters from the PHWA. Hutson was named the winner on June 10, with fellow all-rookie team members Celibrini, Mitchkov and Gauthier rounding out the Top 5 in Calder voting.
In addition, Wolf received one third-place vote for the Vezina Trophy and one fourth-place vote for the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP. He was the only rookie to receive votes for either award.
Wolf was Calgary’s first Calder Trophy finalist since 2014-15, when Gaudreau finished third in voting.
Eric Vail (1974-75), Wili Plett (1976-77), Gary Suter (1985-86), Joe Nieuwendyk (1987-88) and Sergei Makarov (1989-90) are past winners.
