The Flames needed someone to step up following Devin Cooley’s injury. So far, it has been smooth sailing thanks to one player’s turnaround.
Dustin Wolf’s overall numbers may still look ugly. But he has been outperforming expectations since Devin Cooley landed on injured reserve.
Wolf is 3-4-1 on the season, with an .870 save percentage, a 3.71 GAA, and a .500 quality starts percentage. In his three starts since Cooley’s injury, Wolf is 2-0-1, with 73 saves on 78 shots faced. That gives him a .936 save percentage while allowing an average of 1.7 goals per game.
It is a far cry from where Wolf was early in the season. Across his first seven games, including stepping up in relief for Cooley in a 4-0 loss against the Edmonton Oilers, Wolf went 1-4-0, with an .839 save percentage while allowing 4.5 goals per game.
Now that Wolf is living up to the $52.5 million contract he signed in Sep. 2025, the question is simple: Will this continue?
Wolf has shown multiple times early in his career that he is worth the large sum. But as he has shown earlier this season and at points in 2025-26, he can be very up and down.
One Big Advantage For Dustin Wolf And The Flames
Nobody is expecting Calgary to be all-world in 2026-27. Many can argue that the Flames (7-8-1) have been exceeding expectations. They are also 7-3-1 in their last 11 games after starting the season 0-5-0. At the time, they were seemingly hopeless both when they had and didn’t have puck possession.
Therefore, Wolf can go through cold streaks, and few would worry so much about whether he can bounce back. Still, if he manages to help the Flames keep games close when they aren’t scoring when they have the puck, he will further establish himself as one of the league’s best young netminders.
Not to mention, Wolf is still competing with Cooley while the latter is shelved. The better he plays in Cooley’s absence, the better the odds that the Flames will ultimately put the two in a timeshare instead of preferring one over the other.
Before Cooley’s injury, the latter was the case. Wolf had a rough time getting consistent while Cooley looked like a number-one netminder.
While Wolf can afford the occasional cold streak, coming big when needed will pay dividends for him.
Wolf Can Further Solidify Himself In Calgary’s Upcoming Slate
Calgary’s next game will be on Nov. 6 against the Anaheim Ducks, a team Wolf helped the Flames beat earlier this season. While Anaheim ranks ninth out of 32 teams with 54 goals scored, Wolf previously held the Ducks to two goals on Oct. 13.
This is contingent on whether Wolf is starting the game. But if he does, there is a golden opportunity. Calgary will also face the Philadelphia Flyers on Nov. 8, the NY Rangers on Nov. 11, and the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 14. Philadelphia and Los Angeles have weaker scoring units, which could further play into Wolf’s hands if he starts those games.
Taking advantage against weaker opponents would go a long way for Wolf. They could further set the stage for Wolf’s mostly forgettable October to be nothing more than a distant memory.
Flames’ $52.5 Million Goalie Makes Stunning Turnaround After Brutal Start