Q&A: Flames goalie Dustin Wolf on contract talks, Olympic aspirations and the Rogers Legends of Hockey

National Post

19 hours ago

Dustin Wolf will be back in Calgary's sporting spotlight Saturday, although he'll be wearing soft-spikes instead of skates and will be hitting golf balls rather than stopping pucks.
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The Flames' goaltender is part of a star-studded lineup for the Rogers Legends of Hockey, a fundraising shootout that follows the second round of action at the Rogers Charity Classic at Canyon Meadows.
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Also participating in this closest-to-the-pin competition are Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Sarah Fillier, Adin Hill, Meaghan Mikkelson, Mark Scheifele, Stuart Skinner and Matt Stajan, plus a pair of elite junior golfers. They will be swinging for up to $200,000 in prize money, all of it to be directed to charity.
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The hockey heroes will sign autographs for an hour — from 2:30-3:30 p.m. — and then take aim for the green at No. 18 at approximately 5 p.m., after the PGA Tour Champions pros have completed their birdie-making business for the day.
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Wolf, 24, will undoubtedly have the support of the local crowd, especially if he is up against Skinner, who tends twine for the arch-rival Edmonton Oilers. You may even hear a few howls from the gallery.
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In advance of his tee-time in the Rogers Legends of Hockey, Postmedia's Wes Gilbertson connected with Wolf to chat about his golf game, his Olympic aspirations, negotiations on his next contract and summer in the Stampede City …
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Wolf: 'Golf might be the worst sport on this planet, just due to the fact that you can shoot 80 one day and you can feel great, and then you can shoot a 95 the next day. It's a sport where it's the tale of two tapes. My game is in decent order. I wouldn't say it's the best. But like I said, I could play my best round two days from now and then my worst in a week. So it certainly keeps you humble, that's for sure.'
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Q: Are there any similarities between protecting a 6×4 net and trying to hit a golf shot to six feet — or even better, four feet — from the pin?
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Wolf: 'I don't know. I've become accustomed to standing in a 24-square-foot net. That's kind of second nature to me now. Trying to stick a very small ball tight to a very small cup isn't necessarily in my sweet spot as of yet. Maybe I can say differently if I hole one out Saturday, but it certainly makes you uncomfortable. And then you add people into the gallery and the nerves pick up and it adds a different level of stress. You just don't want to hit anybody and next thing you know, you chunk one. So hopefully I can eliminate those and stick a couple tight.'