
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Under-25 power rankings in the goal crease
Article content
Starting with the obvious, and continuing with those who are still proving themselves at the lower levels, a closer look at the Flames' future between the pipes:
1. DUSTIN WOLF
Age: 24
How acquired: Selected in seventh round, No. 214 overall, of 2019 NHL Draft
Working in his favour: Scouts have long raved about his agility, his quickness and his elite ability to read the play. Those are all strengths, no doubt, but Wolf's superpower is his resilience and mental toughness.
Still working on it: This is mostly a matter of experience. Wolf talks often about his continued quest to learn how to handle the rigours of the NHL schedule and the heavy traffic around the blue paint.
Big-league potential: This rising star could, sooner than later, be in the Vezina Trophy conversation.
Wolf, who constantly was told he was too small to succeed at the highest level, is now a role model for any under-sized puck-stopper. Billed for several seasons as the Flames' goalie-of-the-future, he eclipsed all reasonable expectations as a first-year-as-a-full-timer in 2024-25, ranking among the leaguewide leaders in five-on-five save percentage, earning a Calder Trophy nomination and nearly carrying his squad to a surprise playoff berth. The Flames are hoping to lock him up this summer with a long-term, big-money contract extension.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CBC
35 minutes ago
- CBC
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce attend Game 4 of Stanley Cup final between Oilers and Panthers
There was bad blood at Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. Not just on the ice. Pop superstar Taylor Swift and boyfriend Travis Kelce were among the celebrities that flocked to Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday to watch Game 4 of the final — with the Bad Blood singer seen holding hands with Kelce as they headed to their seats. And they were in attendance for a thrilling game. Edmonton came from down three goals in the first period to win it 5-4 in overtime, tying the series 2-2. Kelce, a Super Bowl-winning tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, is a known hockey fan along with his brother Jason Kelce. And ever since Swift and Kelce began their high-profile romance in 2023, the 14-time Grammy Award winning singer has been known to pop in on big sporting events — including the last two Super Bowls — and cause an excited frenzy for fans. There were rumblings ahead of Thursday's game that the couple might attend the final. A helicopter landed near Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, ahead of the game. The VIP entrance to the area was also closed off and the media elevator was not available to be used for a period of time before pregame warm-ups began. The pair was shown on the television broadcast during the first period of the game. Swift recently announced that she regained control over her entire body of work. In a lengthy note posted to her official website, Swift said that all the music she's ever made now belongs to her after she has purchased her catalog of recordings — originally released through Big Machine Records — from their most recent owner, the private equity firm Shamrock Capital. Over the last few years, Swift has been rerecording and releasing her early albums in an attempt to regain control of her music. Other celebrities in attendance included former Miami Dolphins star defensive end Jason Taylor, who banged the drum before the game, and hockey great Jaromir Jagr. Miami Heat captain Bam Adebayo was joined by former Heat captain Udonis Haslem on the drum on Monday.


Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
‘As clutch as it gets': Leon Draisaitl steps up again for Oilers in Stanley Cup final
Leon Draisaitl keeps leaving it late. That's working out just fine for the Oilers. The big centre's overtime goal Thursday — his record-setting fourth extra-time winner this spring — pushed Edmonton past Florida 5-4 to even the Stanley Cup final at two games apiece. Draisaitl's breakthrough against Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky on an attempted pass that glanced in off defenceman Niko Mikkola came after the Oilers battled back from a 3-0 first-period deficit before recovering from a blown 4-3 lead late. Story continues below advertisement 'Our group never quits,' Draisaitl said after registering a goal and two assists. 'We believe that no matter how bad it is, if we get over that hump of adversity, we're going to keep pushing, we're going to keep coming … and eventually it'll break. 'You don't want to be in these situations too many times, but when they happen, I think we're great at it.' Draisaitl has been great for quite some time. The 29-year-old German now has 11 goals and 21 assists for 32 points in 20 playoff games this spring. He's the fifth player in NHL history to record 30 points in consecutive post-seasons — Draisaitl had 31 across 25 contests in 2024 — joining teammate Connor McDavid (2024-2025), Nikita Kucherov (2020-2021), Mario Lemieux (1991-1992) and Wayne Gretzky (1987-1988, 1983-1985). Story continues below advertisement 'He's as clutch as it gets,' said Edmonton netminder Calvin Pickard, who finished with 22 saves after replacing Stuart Skinner to start the second period following that ugly opening. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'He's been playing great, always scores big goals at big times.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He's been playing great, always scores big goals at big times." The Oilers, meanwhile, became just the second road team in NHL history — joining the 1919 Montreal Canadiens — to win a Cup final game after trailing by three or more goals at the end of the first period. Draisaitl, according to his teammates, was one of the locker-room leaders to stand up and speak up after Monday's brutal 6-1 loss in Game 3 that put the Oilers down in the series 2-1. 'One of the best players in the world for a reason,' Edmonton defenceman Darnell Nurse said. 'He not only says what he's going to do, he backs it up with his play and his actions. That's what makes him an amazing leader. We get into overtime, those tense moments, and he has an ability to relax in them and just make plays. He gets rewarded for working hard.' Story continues below advertisement The first European-born player to record three playoff years of 30 or more points, Draisaitl is also the second player in league history to record at least 10 goals and 20 assists in multiple post-seasons. Wayne Gretzky did it five times. 'He's just elevated his game in the toughest moments,' said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. Draisaitl is also the fifth player in NHL history with multiple overtime goals in the final, and just the third to do it in the same series, alongside Don Raleigh of the New York Rangers in 1950 and John LeClair of the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. 'It's incredible,' said Oilers winger Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who started the comeback in the second period on a power-play setup from Draisaitl. 'He's a horse out there for us … like you've seen, it's just constant, it's consistent. We always can lean on him. Story continues below advertisement 'He always finds a way to get those big ones.' Thursday night in Sunrise was the biggest of the bunch. Speaking up Veteran forward Corey Perry, a former Hart Trophy winner as league MVP and a Cup winner in 2007 with Anaheim, addressed the team in the first intermission of Game 4 with Edmonton in that deep hole. 'The message (was) that he's been in these moments,' Draisaitl said of the 40-year-old. 'He's not a guy that speaks up or yells at guys all the time. That's not his character. You know when a guy like that – with that many games, that much experience, he's won everything there is to win – he knows how to win. When he speaks up, you listen and it grabs your attention.' Story continues below advertisement Front-row seat Knoblauch was asked Thursday night what it's like to have a front-row seat to a series that has already included three overtime decisions and tremendous action. 'Games like that, it's exhausting,' he said with a smile. 'It's a roller-coaster, but I do appreciate the level of hockey. Two good teams playing as hard as they are, playing the right way. I do appreciate being so close to the action and seeing what I'm seeing. 'There's a lot on the line, but it is fun.'


National Post
2 hours ago
- National Post
Vasily Podkolzin finally has his time in spotlight for Edmonton Oilers
Vasily Podkilzin did the same thing in Thursday's overtime as he's done all season long: Look to Leon Draisaitl. Article content This time, it just happened to be in overtime of the biggest game the Edmonton Oilers were playing in since Game 7 of last year's Stanley Cup Final. One that required them to climb all the way back from a 3-0 deficit to briefly take the lead before Florida forced the third overtime of this over-the-top series. Article content Article content Article content In it, Draisaitl did what he's done better than anyone else all season: Put the puck in the back of the net to give Edmonton a 5-4 win and tie the series 2-2 heading back to Edmonton for Game 5 on Saturday (6 p.m., CBC, Sportsnet). Article content But the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard trophy winner with a league-leading 52 goals in the regular season hardly did it by himself Thursday. Article content Vasily Podkolzin spent more time than anyone on Draisaitl's left wing here in his first season with Edmonton, digging pucks out of corners and doing all the dirty work on to provide elbow grease on a line where the spotlight shone on his talented centre. Article content And Thursday ended no differently, even though both were playing on different lines in this one. Article content With the puck sent out of Edmonton's end by defenceman Mattias Ekholm, Podkolzin had it on his stick for a split second, having spotted Draisaitl just having hopped off the bench, sending a nifty backhand pass clear across the ice and into Florida's zone. Article content Article content Draisaitl caught it in stride, and with one hand on his stick, managed to steer the puck through the legs of both Panthers defenceman Niko Mikkola and Sergei Bobrovsky for the biggest goal of his already illustrious career. Article content Just don't ask Podkolzin how the play ended up coming together. Article content 'I can't tell you right now, it's more like instincts,' Podkolzin said. 'Sometimes you have to risk it, especially in overtime. Yeah, I got lucky there that the pass came through. Article content 'So, it's a good play.' Article content And the kind that only happens when two teammates are fantastically familiar with each other, not to mention a well-earned assist for the 23-year-old Russian product who hasn't always seen his hard work result in points. Article content On Thursday, Podkolzin ended up with two of them, though it could be argued his assist in overtime was every bit as important as his goal that tied the score 3-3 heading into the third period.