Two of the Flames' best prospects are set to make their NHL debuts on Wednesday evening in the team's season finale.
Dustin Wolf, Calgary’s seventh round pick in 2019 and last season’s AHL goalie of the year, will get the start tonight against his favourite childhood team, the San Jose Sharks. The Gilroy, Calif., native has put together another stellar campaign, leading the AHL in wins (41) and save percentage (.932). He was a Sharks fan as a kid and idolized longtime San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov.
“I’m trying to downplay it a little bit,” Wolf said of the night ahead. “Obviously I’m pretty excited. You dream of this moment your whole life…it’s pretty special and you just try to take it all in.”
Wolf will be backed up by Dan Vladar and Jacob Markstrom will be a healthy scratch. Wolf’s family will be in attendance.
“Thankfully they were able to get on a plane pretty quick and get out here,” he said.
Head coach Darryl Sutter has watched the AHL's Wranglers lots this season and called goaltending the biggest strength of the organization.
“It’s well-earned,” the coach said. “He’s for sure the MVP, in my books, not only of the team but close to the league when you look at what [the team] has done in terms of goals against and his record and games played.”
Wednesday evening will also be special because of the goalie coach on the other side. Thomas Speer was the Flames’ AHL goalie coach when the team was in Stockton, Calif. During the pandemic, Wolf lived with Speer and his family.
“Obviously I was super excited to see him get a job with the Sharks, but disappointed at the same time,” Wolf said. “For us to cross paths again in my first game is pretty cool.”
Rookie Jakob Pelletier praised Wolf, who he played with last season in Stockton.
“He’s so quick,” he said. “When you think you’ve beat him, he’s just going to save the puck.”
Matthew Coronato, the 13th overall pick in 2021, will also play his first NHL game. Calgary signed him after his college season at Harvard ended, and he’s practised with the team the past two weeks. He will line up alongside Pelletier and veteran Nazem Kadri.
“I’m feeling good,” Coronato said. “These guys have been awesome in making me feel comfortable…a big thing for me has been able to learn from guys and see how everyone goes about their business.”
Sutter praised Coronato’s work in his brief time with the team.
“He’s been a real sponge in terms of the direction and following and seeing those guys that he’s trying to be like,” Sutter said.
Coronato’s family will also be in attendance, having made the trip from New York. He’s been living with Dillon Dube and spending time in the city with Pelletier.
“He’s been really a mentor to me,” Coronato said of Dube. “He keeps reminding me not to be nervous and go out and play my game.”
Pelletier is thrilled that he’s no longer the only rookie making his league debut and reminisced about his own first game back in January. Pelletier was called up, but promptly scratched for two weeks.
“The first time, I wasn’t sure if I was playing or not,” Pelletier said. “I was kind of stressed because you don’t want to say [publicly] that you’re playing.”
His advice to the kids is simple.
“Enjoy,” Pelletier said. “Since we’re three or five, our main goal is to play here.”
