Wolf expected to carry heavy workload down the stretch for Flames

CALGARY — The guardrails are off, the odometer has been disconnected and it’s open road for Dustin Wolf to take the wheel for the Calgary Flames’ race to the finish line.

Following a lengthy break, coach Ryan Huska is now touting a new, pedal-to-the-metal approach that will no longer see the club shelter the young netminder’s starts or put restrictions of any sort on his workload.

“We’re at the point where we need to find a way to get as many points as we can, and if that means we’re going to play Dustin 15 in a row because he’s having success, so be it,” said Huska, of what’s sure to be a popular tack.

That’s what you do with team MVPs, you ride them, especially when you’re in the stretch run of a playoff race that he’s been chiefly responsible for getting you in.

To be fair, Huska added the possibility that backup Dan Vladar could also catch fire in one of his limited appearances and ride a hot hand to a string of starts as well.

Lip service.

With just three back-to-backs remaining in the Flames’ 27-game schedule, the notion that Wolf could start as many as 21 or 22 games is not out of the question.

Even if he started only 17, it would make him just the third rookie netminder over the last decade to make 50 or more starts in his first full season.

Rarified air.

Is he up to the challenge?

You be the judge:

“If they’re gonna ask me to play, I’m gonna play my nuts off as hard as I can,” said Wolf, whose club sits just three back of Vancouver for the final wild-card berth.

“The goal is to play as many as you can, and trying to make sure you take care of yourself is important.”

Despite carrying just 166 pounds on his six-foot frame, Wolf has amply shouldered similar workloads over the last handful of years in junior and the minors, where he regularly started on consecutive evenings and was the top tender in each league while doing it.

“I mean, this is what I’ve done my whole life,” said the 23-year-old Californian.

“Go back to junior and the AHL, I’ve played a lot of hockey, and this is just the next step to keep proving myself. There’s always going to be people trying to find ways to critique yourself or your game. And, you know, if there’s anybody that’s gonna do that, it’s gonna be myself. So, I’ll be the first to tell you if I should stop one or if I should tip my cap. Either way, you come back and keep proving things to people.”

Although Wolf admitted the NHL game has been more taxing on his body than any other loop, he said he’s felt strong throughout a string in which he’s played in 19 of the Flames’ last 25 games.

Some have wondered if the increased workload over the last two months started catching up to Wolf, as the Calder frontrunner who is 19-11-3 this year has lost four in a row and five of his last six starts.

“In my opinion, I don’t see that,” said Huska, of possible fatigue.  

“There’s always going to be goals that are going to go through them or someone’s going to beat him when he’s made that save before, but that’s goaltending. I don’t think it has anything to do with him being fatigued.

“He’s used to playing back-to-backs and three in four nights, and he’s a young guy. I don’t think I would give him that excuse.”

Wolf concurred.

“There’s certainly been games where I feel really good where I probably shouldn’t, and there’s games where I don’t feel the greatest when I probably should feel better,” shrugged Wolf, who sports a .912 save percentage and 2.63 GAA.

“I’m still trying to figure out how to manage my rest and be able to get everything I need to play at my best every night. 

“It’s always going to be a work in progress, but I’ve felt pretty good about myself so far.”

The young man certainly seemed re-energized by the lengthy break that saw him recharge in Punta Mita, Mexico.

“That was great to kind of get away from it,” said a beaming Wolf, whose club hosts San Jose Sunday before jetting off for the toughest of six-game roadies.

“It just kind of almost feels like the start of the season, training camp, where everybody wants to get back right into it. It’s kind of motivating.

“Can’t wait to get back at it.”

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