Flames' Dustin Wolf Has Case for Calder Trophy

This year's Calder Trophy race is one of the tightest in recent memory, and Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf is trying to become the first goalie since 2009 to take home the honor. Wolf has been one of the top netminders in the NHL this season. His play has kept the Flames in contention for a Wild Card spot in a year many expected to be a losing one. Through 45 starts, he's collected a 24-15-6 record, a 2.67 goals-against average, and a .909 save percentage to lead all rookie goalies.

The odds are stacked against the Flames goalie in the Calder Trophy race. He's trying to beat out three other incredibly talented first-year players: Montreal Canadiens defender Lane Hutson, San Jose Sharks phenom Macklin Celebrini, and Philadelphia Flyers scorer Matvei Michkov. The Calder Trophy voters overwhelmingly favor skaters over goaltenders, as evidenced by just four goalies winning the award since 1994.

It begs the question: Does Wolf have a case for the top rookie? Let's take a look at the last four goalies to take home the award and compare their seasons to Wolf's rookie year.

Steve Mason, Columbus Blue Jackets

Mason burst onto the scene for the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2008-2009 season. He finished his rookie year with 61 starts and a 33-20-7 record. His 2.29 GAA and .916 were the defining statistics, and he was named the top rookie over fellow net minders Jonathan Quick and Pekka Rinne, as well as skaters like Bobby Ryan and Kris Versteeg.

Andrew Raycroft, Boston Bruins

Raycroft was the run away winner as the top rookie during the 2003-2004 campaign. He went 29-18-9 over 55 starts, but it was his 2.05 GAA and .926 save percentage that earned him the award.

Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks

The Russian-born Evgeni Nabokov was electric during the 2000-2001 season for the San Jose Sharks. He went 32-21-7 over 65 starts, coupled with a 2.17 GAA and .910 save percentage. He took home the Calder Trophy and finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting as the top goalie in the NHL.

Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils

The Hall of Fame goalie immediately showed his skillset with the New Jersey Devils. The 1993-1994 season was Brodeur's debut campaign, and it foreshadowed the championship run the Devils would soon go on. Brodeur went 27-11-8 with a 2.40 GAA and a .915 save percentage. The league had no issue naming him the Calder Trophy winner, as he took home over 60% of the first-place votes.

Looking at these four award-winning seasons, it's fair to say that Wolf's performance has a shot at becoming the fifth one to take home the accolade. While Wolf has the highest GAA of these five cases, his save percentage, starts, and victories, are all in line with the others.

What also stands out is how much these goalies elevated each of their teams during their rookie seasons. The Flames had no playoff ambitions to begin the year, but Wolf established himself as a reliable starting goalie and gave them postseason hope. That's exactly what these other four puck-stoppers helped their teams do. It might not be the flashiest case, but Dustin Wolf's rookie year is comparable enough to previous Calder Trophy winners to suggest that he has a strong shot at winning the award in 2025.