Vladar slated to play tonight against Minnesota, but Flames expect Wolf to see action during the stretch
Whatever week-to-week means for Jacob Markstrom’s time on the shelf, it’s a good bet top prospect goaltender Dustin Wolf will see some action.
It also means Dan Vladar will have his best chance to prove his mettle.
“It’s opportunity. He deserves it, too,” coach Ryan Huska said of what is ahead for Vladar. "We’ve talked about our goaltenders the last year-and-a-half and we feel we have three guys capable of being number-one guys. Now that when a door’s open a little bit, it’s up to that player to make sure that door doesn’t close.
“Whether you’re talking about Danny or Wolfie, they have to push it open further … and take advantage of their opportunity.”
Markstrom has been sidelined due to a fractured finger suffered in Monday’s practice, with no concrete time frame offered other than week-to-week.
Wolf, the two-time top goaltender in the AHL and last season’s league MVP has been summoned.
“It’s always a great thing for a young guy to be around, no matter what the situation is, whether you’re playing or not,” Huska said. “Look at (Rasmus Andersson) for example, he was brought up as a younger guy and I think played one game in a month’s time, but he had an opportunity to spend time with players to see how they do things on a daily basis. For Wolfie, I look at it the same way. The difference is he’ll play.”
Vladar, who boasts a 4-2-1 record with a 3.20 goals-against average and .883 save percentage, is to start Tuesday’s home clash with the Minnesota Wild.
Before long, though, expect to see Wolf, 22, in action. Wolf, the 2019 seventh-round draft choice, played one NHL game this season, a 4-1 road loss to the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 11.
He is once again shining brightly with the Wranglers this season, with a 10-3-0 record along with a 2.50 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.
“I’ve gotten to know the guys a lot better and already been up for a week this year. It’s been good to be in this locker room and put my best foot forward,” he said.
As for his game in Ottawa, Wolf said: “The result didn’t come but I was pretty happy with how I played. That night is a building block. You’re not going to win every night, but you want to give your team the best opportunity to win. If I can do that, I’m doing my job.”
Wolf also played the finale last season, a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks.
Those games have provided lessons he had to experience to fully understand the difference between playing in the NHL compared to the minors.
“Guys are so good in this league. It’s different from the American league,” he said. “Guys are so much better at tipping pucks, getting in your face — getting in your eyes — and making it difficult for you to see things. It makes my job a little bit harder, so I make sure I’m fighting through to see pucks.”