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Dustin Wolf simply desires to play.
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Ideally, certain, he’d wish to play within the NHL.
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But when it’s with the Calgary Wranglers within the AHL this season, so be it.
His precedence is to play, plain and easy.
“You need to play as many video games, you need to assist the workforce win and on the finish of the day you need to win a championship,” Wolf mentioned this week from Calgary Flames coaching camp. “I feel that’s the mindset for each man whenever you’re coming right into a season. You need a chance to win. I feel there’s a fantastic alternative, not solely with the Flames however with the Wranglers, as properly.”
There’s been a substantial quantity of debate round Calgary about how the Flames ought to handle their goaltending state of affairs.
Jacob Markstrom is clearly the starter and might be enjoying the overwhelming majority of video games.
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Final 12 months, Dan Vladar was Markstrom’s backup, showing in 27 video games and beginning in 23 whereas posting a 2.89 goals-against-average and .899 save proportion.
Wolf, in the meantime, was tearing it up with the Wranglers. Not solely was he named the AHL’s goaltender of the 12 months for a second straight season, he was the league’s MVP and posted a .932 save proportion.
That’s obtained a number of folks questioning whether or not he’s already completed the whole lot he can on the AHL degree and is prepared for the NHL.
However with Markstrom and Vladar forward of him, what’s the trail? Do the Flames actually need him sitting on the bench as a third-stringer or perhaps a backup? Among the many three, Wolf is the primary candidate for the minors, largely as a result of he doesn’t must clear waivers.
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“It’s a fantastic surroundings to be in, we’re all battling for spots, for video games, for alternatives to point out we may also help the workforce win,” Wolf mentioned. “That’s the most effective half, we have now three guys who can are available and provides the workforce an opportunity and my job is simply to come back in and do what I understand how to do greatest and attempt to push them and have them push me and simply sort of go from there.”
For anybody in search of controversy, there doesn’t appear to be a lot right here. There doesn’t appear to be any, actually.
There’s competitors among the many Flames goaltenders, however no animosity. They genuinely appear to love one another and are supporting each other.
That’s one thing each Wolf and Vladar repeated time and again. Competitors doesn’t must be a nasty factor. It may be wholesome and it might probably push athletes to be higher and proceed bettering.
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That definitely appears to be the case in Calgary.
Vladar is properly conscious that Wolf is on the rise.
And he’s rooting for his younger teammate.
“Wolfy is a superb goalie, a number of nice years behind him however on the similar time it’s going to be (the identical) with each single workforce. There’s all the time going to be somebody who’s pushing and the one factor you are able to do is simply attempt your greatest, in order that’s what I’m going to do,” Vladar mentioned.
“We’re only a bunch of buddies right here. Everyone desires to play, proper? However I’m fairly certain the mentality is similar for each single man. In the event you’re enjoying, you’re doing all of your greatest and for those who’re not you’re cheering for the opposite guys.”
The most definitely situation is that Wolf begins the season with the Wranglers and will get a tonne of enjoying time, whereas Vladar backs up Markstrom. Perhaps the Flames name up Wolf for a couple of video games to get him used to enjoying within the NHL.
They gave him one recreation on the finish of final season and he regarded very comfy, stopping 24-of-25 photographs and incomes a win.
In fact he desires extra. But when it takes somewhat endurance and numerous enjoying time within the AHL to get there, he’s completely pleased with that.
Wolf simply desires to play.
“Clearly you need to play within the NHL, that’s the primary objective,” Wolf mentioned. “However on the finish of the day you need to play video games and for those who get to play video games for the Flames, it’s a fair higher day.”
daustin@postmedia.com
www.twitter.com/DannyAustin_9
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