At most positions, the Calgary Flames are currently lacking NHL and AHL depth or major star power, but at the goaltending position, they have no such issue, with the opposite applying, as many are calling for the team to move Dan Vladar in order to pursue a Jacob Markstrom/Dustin Wolf duo at the NHL level.
However, it has been reported that General Manager Craig Conroy is being very patient on a deal for Vladar, with no intention of moving him until a team out there ‘forces his hand‘, and unless that happens, it appears they could go into camp with all three on the roster. That raises the question, can that work, or will the Flames be forced to make a move?
On the surface, the idea of playing all three is ridiculous, but given that Wolf is able to float between the AHL and NHL without passing through waivers, it may be the best possible way to get him a significant role in the NHL, but after being so dominant for the Wranglers/Heat over the past two years, he’s got nothing left to prove down there. It’s very clear however that Wolf is the future of the team, and with Markstrom getting paid as much as he is, there’s no reason for Calgary to consider moving him, so now the question is, is there any alternative to moving Vladar now?
The only other option for Calgary is to go into the season, or at least training camp and the pre-season with Vladar as their backup, with the potential that another team loses a goaltender and becomes desperate to find an experienced NHL goalie. Ultimately, there’s a way that Calgary can head into the season with Wolf floating between the two leagues and potentially getting 10-15 games as an NHL starter while primarily staying in the AHL, but given what he’s accomplished there and how important he is to the future, the team need him on the Flames roster so he can learn throughout the year, so Conroy should be working the phones on not only the Flames UFA’s in 2024, but Vladar as well.
So what do you think Flames fans? Should Calgary go into 2023-24 with three goalies on the roster? What can they realistically get for Vladar on the trade market? How long until Dustin Wolf is the starter on this team? As always, let us know all your thoughts in the comments below.