The Calgary Flames took care of some major business on Tuesday, extending goaltender Dustin Wolf. The extension is a massive seven-year, $52.5 million deal, according to PuckPedia.
The deal ends speculation regarding the 24-year-old’s future in Calgary. Wolf will be entering the final season of his current two-year contract. He was on track to become an RFA. Of course, that won’t be the case anymore after the Flames locked him up for good.
The deal signals that they believe Wolf will be their franchise goaltender. Last season, Wolf appeared in 53 games, posting a 2.64 GAA and a .910 SV%. He was named a finalist for the Calder Trophy.
Wolf’s numbers from 2024-25 were a substantial improvement from his 2023-24 stats. In his first season, he appeared in 17 games, posting a 3.16 GAA and an .893 SV%. The Flames hope that Wolf’s 2024-25 numbers won’t be an outlier.
Judging from the eye test, Wolf looks like he’ll be the real deal. However, there’s always a sliver of doubt. That’s why the Flames are taking a calculated risk on Wolf. They’re betting that he’ll be a solid starting goaltender for the foreseeable future.
If the bet pays off, his $7.5 million cap hit will seem like a bargain. But if he struggles to live up to his contract, the Flames might not be handcuffed due to the rising salary cap ceiling.
Calgary Flames hoping Dustin Wolf can lead them back to playoffs
The Flames will be hoping that another strong season from Dustin Wolf will be crucial in leading them back to the playoffs. Calgary has not been in the postseason since 2022, the last season the club had Johnny Hockey and Matthew Tkachuk in the lineup.
Wolf’s steady play in the crease will be critical as the Flames ice a lineup mixed with veteran talent and rising stars. The recent signings of Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil highlight how the Flames have their sights set on the future.
Also, Matt Coronato and Kevin Bahl look like established stars despite still being young players. The key will be for these young players to mesh well with veteran stars like Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau.
That solid roster could turn things around with Dustin Wolf manning the crease. Wolf showed he could handle the workload, giving his club a psychological edge heading into this season.
Of course, it won’t be solely up to Wolf to carry the Flames to the postseason. But after coming painfully close last season, there’s no reason to believe the Flames can’t be major players in the Western Conference playoff picture in 2025-26.