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Apr 15, 2025; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (32) celebrates win after defeating Vegas Golden Knights at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Flames Goalie Snubbed From USA Orientation Camp Roster

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Calgary Flames found a key piece of their rebuild in goalie Dustin Wolf. The 24-year-old put together a marvelous rookie campaign, starting 53 games and compiling a record of 29-16-8. His performance helped the Flames stay in the playoff race until the final day of the regular season and earned him a Calder Trophy finalist nomination for the NHL’s top rookie.

After all that, the Flames’ goalie likely expected an invitation to the United States’ 2026 Winter Olympics Orientation Camp. But when Team USA announced the 44-player group that will be cut down to the 25-man roster going to the Milano-Cortiva Games, Wolf’s name was a noticeable snub.

In his place was Seattle Kraken net minder Joey Daccord. Daccord enters camp as the superfluous fourth goalie behind an All-Star trio. Winnipeg Jets franchise anchor and back-to-back Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck will lead the Red, White, and Blue at the Olympics. He’ll be backed up by Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins puck-stopper Jeremy Swayman.

No disrespect to Daccord, but leaving Wolf off this group in his favor is a huge mistake. Neither Daccord nor Wolf would have a strong chance of displacing one of the trio in net, but that’s not exactly the point.

Wolf is a 24-year-old netminder from California. The current group of goalies representing the United States are in their primes. Oettinger and Swayman are 26, while Hellebuyck is the elder statesman at 32. As the youngest option, it would have been to his and the United States’ benefit to at least have Wolf at orientation camp.

Beyond that, Wolf was simply the better goalie than Daccord last year. Wolf won more games than Daccord. He also posted a better goals-against average (2.64 compared to 2.75) and a better save percentage (.910 compared to .906). Wolf also posted one more shutout than Daccord last year.

If the United States had decided to go with a goalie like Thatcher Demko from the Vancouver Canucks to fill out their camp, it would have made more sense. Demko has history representing the United States and prior to his injuries was one of the top net minders in the entire world.

Daccord doesn’t have that type of cache. Yes, he did have a strong season playing behind a rather weak Seattle defense, but Wolf excelled playing behind an arguably just as weak defense.

This decision seems more like an oversight than a mistake. If the goal was to assemble the best four goalies from the United States over the last year, there’s no way you could leave Dustin Wolf off that list. His exclusion from orientation camp is a huge snub, and could be a decision that comes back to bite them during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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