The Calgary Flames don't have much to look forward too ahead of the 2026/27 NHL season, and while the future is looking bright, this season could result in plenty of lacklustre performances and results.
One player that the team can count on is Dustin Wolf, who tore through the American Hockey League on his way to the NHL with the Flames, and since his arrival, he's consistently excelled despite playing behind one of the worst teams in the league.
As a result of the teams struggles, Wolf hasn't gotten the league wide recognition yet, and now, we're set to findout whether that has changed or not. Recently, NHL Network have revealed their top 20 wingers and defenseman in the NHL, and ahead of their release of the goaltending list, we're going to discuss where Wolf should potentially be ranked in that discussion.
Is Dustin Wolf a Top-20 Goaltender in the NHL?
On paper, Dustin Wolf is absolutely a top-20 goaltender in the NHL on the back of a 2025/26 campaign that was a down year by his standards where he still posted an .899 save percentage along with a 2.99 GAA, despite the teams struggles in front of him. Across 128 appearances in his NHL career now, Wolf has a 2.84 GAA and a .903 save percentage, and he's done all of that despite being doubted on a consistent basis for his size.
Sure, that size may not allow him to become a dominant No. 1 the likes of Andrei Vasilevsky or Connor Hellebuyck, but after winning the AHL MVP Award and then turning into a great young goaltender at just 25-years-old, he's still going to be a very, very good goaltender for years to come.
We can safely say that over the past two years, despite coming into the NHL at just 23, Wolf has adapted well, and while the numbers don't quite reflect that improvement, he has taken his game to a new level, and that should be shown off in 2026/27. So, we (and most Flames fans) believe that Wolf is a top tier goaltender, but that begs the question;
Where Will the NHL Rank Dustin Wolf?
However, the fan perception and love for Wolf in Calgary does not equal national media attention, and while it shouldn't, the Flames overall struggles in 2025/26 that caused a dip in Wolf's numbers will certainly effect his standings when NHL Network rank their top-20 goaltenders.
Of course, there's no doubt that Wolf should be on that list and closer to the top half, rather than the bottom, so let's take a look at who is ahead of him. Right now, the guarantees are Connor Hellebuyck, Igor Shesterkin, Andrei Vasilevsky, Logan Thompson, Filip Gustavsson, Jake Oettinger, Ilya Sorokin and Jeremy Swayman.
Beyond that, Wolf could be ranked anywhere, and if he came in next on that list, it would have him sitting at No. 9 overall, but with other names like Jet Greaves, Spencer Knight, Karel Vejmelka and Mackenzie Blackwood in the mix, Wolf could and should go anywhere from No. 9 to 15.
Regardless, we will find out Sunday at 7PM ET how the NHL have decided to rank the starting goaltenders in the league ahead of the 2026/27 season, with Dustin Wolf likely the first (and only) Flame that will feature on the list this season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google