Early in 2024, Gilroy native and former Morgan Hill resident Dustin Wolf returned to San Jose to play in the AHL All-Star Game, as one of the top goalies in the NHL’s minor league. In the spring, he received some starts with the parent club, the Calgary Flames.
With the off-season trade of the Flames’ top goalie, Jacob Markstrom, an opportunity arose for Wolf to make it on the NHL level. And Wolf has been spectacular. He ranks 10th in the league in save percentage and Calgary has been exceeding expectations all year.
On Dec. 28, Wolf returned to the area as the primary goalie for the Flames and demonstrated to opponent the San Jose Sharks that he has become one of the NHL’s premier netminders.
Wolf made 21 saves, including several key stops down the stretch, as the Flames beat the Sharks 3-1 before a sellout crowd of 17,435 at the SAP Center. The victory raised Wolf’s season record to 11-5-2, with a superb 2.70 Goals Against Average and a .912 Save Percentage.
Calgary is now 17-11-7 and analysts give Wolf a lot of the credit for an unexpectedly successful season to this point.
“I thought our team was terrific out there tonight,” Wolf said. “The first 40 minutes, we were in their zone pretty much the entire game. They had some pushback in the third which is to be expected. We did a great job in our ‘D zone’ limiting their opportunities. We were able to find two in the back of the net and add an empty netter.”
Wolf was born in Gilroy and the family lived in Morgan Hill, attending many Sharks games during his early youth with his parents. At age 10, they moved to southern California to further his hockey career. Wolf reflected on being back in the area.
“For myself, it feels good to come home,” Wolf said. “I watched so many hockey games in this arena. I’d like to think it gives you a little extra jump. It was cool to have some family in the crowd.”
Calgary’s Jonathan Huberdeau scored 4:40 into the opening period, tipping in MacKenzie Weegar’s shot from the point. Sharks rookie star Macklin Celebrini evened the score with a power play goal just over three minutes into the second stanza.
Calgary went back on top 2-1 as Mikael Backlund replied with a power-play marker of his own just 3:46 later. That put the Flames in the lead near the midpoint of the contest.
It stayed that way until the very late stages, with Wolf making several big saves in the final minutes. Calgary salted the game away with a late third period empty-net goal by Huberdeau, with Wolf picking up an assist.
Wolf noted the atmosphere and the importance of the game to the Flames.
“Our road games have been a struggle for us this year,” Wolf said. “Last season the arena wasn’t as full. It was cool to see it pretty much sold out tonight. Just like it used to be.”
Wolf made several superb plays Saturday night. The Flames controlled the first period but Wolf made a big stop on the doorstop of a Nico Sturm shot late in the period.
In the third period and trailing 2-1 in the final minutes, San Jose pulled their goalie for a sixth attacker. They produced several quality chances but Wolf slammed the door. Talented scoring winger Tyler Toffoli had one big chance at the right post but Wolf made the stop.
With 30 seconds remaining, Sharks center Mikael Granlund had a golden chance from the slot but Wolf came through with another big stop. Calgary picked up the victory.
Wolf had received some questions due to his relatively small stature, at 6-foot-0 and 165 pounds. Fellow goalie Juuse Saros of Nashville, also on the shorter end of the spectrum at 5-foot-11, had a recent analysis of Wolf, as told to NHL.com.
“Obviously there’s not many of us,” Saros said. “But I don’t really pay much attention to the size. I pay attention to how goalies play. There’s a lot of saves you notice how he controls his body and how fast he changes direction, so all those little things as a goalie you really appreciate when you see that.
“His technical, his skating and all those little details are, I feel, better than anybody in the League, so that’s what I feel all goalies can look up too.”
Saros continued, noting that people unfamiliar with goaltending might be going with the easy view about size. He noted that some feel smaller goalies need to play further out. Wolf reflected on his progress, specifically with Calgary goalie coach Mackenzie Skapski.
“Coming from junior, guys are more skilled in the American League, so I played pretty far outside of my paint,” Wolf said, of that first season. “I still play outside my paint at times, but I play a lot deeper in a lot of scenarios, especially on the penalty kill or plays with an extra threat.
“You’re not finding me two feet outside the blue and I think that’s been super effective. I’m within my lines as [Skapski] likes to call it. I’ve simplified my game a lot. It makes moving within my paint so much easier. I’m relying on my tracking ability to pick up pucks from distance and not having to be three feet outside my net and it’s been exponentially better.”
It’s all working. Wolf is having a stellar season. On Saturday night in San Jose, he came through once again, as did his teammates—an important road win and another feather in Wolf’s cap this year.
