Calgary Wranglers’ Dustin Wolf named the AHL’s most outstanding goaltender (again)

For the second time in as many seasons, Calgary Wranglers netminder Dustin Wolf is the top goaltender in the American Hockey League. On Wednesday, the AHL announced that Wolf is the 2022-23 recipient of the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the most outstanding goaltender in that league.

Wolf, 22, led the AHL in everything goaltending in 2022-23. No, really.

Wolf’s dominance in net made this award more or less academic. He was previously the AHL’s top netminder in 2021-22, and was the WHL’s top netminder in the two seasons before that (2019-20 and 2020-21). He also won the AHL’s Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award for leading the AHL in goals against.

The Flames selected Wolf at 214th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut in the final game of the Flames’ 2022-23 season, capturing his first big league win against the San Jose Sharks.

Simply put, we’re running out of Wolf-related hyperbole. He’s really, really good. He’s been the best goalie in his league over the past four seasons. The Flames hope not to rush the kid, but at this point it might be time to see how he can do with a prolonged opportunity in the NHL.

Well, after a potentially long Calder Cup playoffs this spring, that is.

The Wranglers begin their Calder Cup schedule next Wednesday against a team yet to be determined.