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Goalie Dustin Wolf takes the blame for Flames' disastrous start
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- Goalie Dustin Wolf takes the blame for Flames' disastrous start
Goalie Dustin Wolf takes the blame for Flames' disastrous start
Twelve goals allowed in just two games is not exactly the way anyone in Calgary pictured things going for Dustin Wolf to kick off the 2026-27 season. The young netminder, fresh off signing a massive seven-year, $52.5-million contract, has found himself under the microscope early, and he's not exactly running from the heat. In fact, Wolf is putting the blame squarely on his own shoulders, perhaps harder than anyone else would.
The Flames dropped both of their opening games to the Seattle Kraken by identical 6-1 scores, and Wolf was between the pipes for both. It's a brutal way to start a campaign that was supposed to represent growth for the 25-year-old goaltender. But rather than deflecting or making excuses about the rebuilding roster in front of him, Wolf has been refreshingly honest about how poorly things went.
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"Those are two games that didn't go well. From me, top-to-bottom, just nothing went right," Wolf admitted after the rough opening stretch. He acknowledged that he was overthinking things, particularly on rush chances, getting caught up worrying about too many options rather than simply tracking the puck carrier. He also didn't sugarcoat his emotions, saying he was "pissed off" after both contests and that it felt like "the world is falling" when you surrender a dozen goals in your first two outings.
A New Foundation Off the Ice
What's interesting about Wolf's situation is the contrast between his rough on-ice start and what he describes as a much healthier headspace away from the rink. Last season was difficult for him in every sense. He posted a 2.99 goals-against average and an .899 save percentage, numbers he openly told the coaching staff weren't acceptable. But the struggles weren't confined to hockey. Wolf has been candid that he was dealing with challenges in multiple areas of his life during the 2025-26 campaign.
This year feels different for him personally, and a big reason for that is his engagement to Sawyer Norman. Wolf lit up when asked about the impact she's had on his ability to handle adversity. He talked about coming home to a clean house, home-cooked meals, and banana bread and cookies waiting after road trips. It might sound simple, but Wolf emphasized how critical that kind of support system is for a goaltender whose job demands the ability to separate personal life from professional performance.
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"If you don't have that, it's really hard to find success at the rink," Wolf said. He also spent part of his summer resetting mentally during a six-week stay in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, where being surrounded by nature helped clear his head. He paired that mental reset with physical preparation, sharing gym sessions with Norman throughout the offseason.
81 Games Left to Prove Himself
Despite the nightmare opening, Wolf isn't wavering from his ambitious goals. He still wants to make around 65 starts this season, a significant jump from the 53 games he played last year. There were real concerns heading into the season that Wolf might have been pushed too hard, too fast in his young career, but he's not interested in being treated with kid gloves. He knows he needs to recapture the form he showed two seasons ago, especially with backup Devin Cooley lurking after posting better numbers than Wolf last year.
Wolf is well aware of the competition. "Whoever's playing well is probably going to play," he said, acknowledging the reality of his situation. Goalie coach Jason LaBarbera has been encouraging him to focus on the process rather than fixating on results, but Wolf is wired to care about wins and losses. That competitive fire is part of what makes him who he is.
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The silver lining, if you can call it that, is that a few days between games gives Wolf time to regroup and prepare for his next start. With 81 games still on the schedule, there's plenty of runway to turn things around. Wolf seems to understand that the early stumble, while painful, doesn't have to define his season. "I'm excited to prove people wrong, that I didn't have my best year, and I'm here to get us wins," he said. For a kid shouldering a $52.5-million contract on a rebuilding team, that kind of accountability and determination is exactly what the Flames need from their franchise goaltender moving forward.
