The Calgary Flames aren’t in a rush to move a goaltender
By Ryan Pike
9 months agoGoaltending is very important in hockey. It’s important to the point where former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving often quipped that the game might as well just be called “goaltending.” With the Flames midway through training camp, Treliving’s successor, current GM Craig Conroy, has three goalies he feels comfortable with.
And speaking to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli for the Frankly Speaking podcast, Conroy shared that he’s in no rush to move a netminder. (The full interview with Conroy drops next week on the podcast.)
Here’s a snippet from Conroy’s chat with Seravalli about the Flames’ goaltending:
“I feel very comfortable in our goaltending. You know, obviously it’s a position of power or good feelings for me right now. So, you know, I’m not going to rush and do anything. I want to make sure.”
The Flames’ three main netminders in camp are:
- 33-year-old Swedish product Jacob Markstrom, the Vezina Trophy runner-up in 2021-22. He carries a $6 million cap hit for three more seasons and a full no-move clause.
- 26-year-old Czech product Dan Vladar. He carries a $2.2 million cap hit for two more seasons.
- 22-year-old American youngster Dustin Wolf, the reigning American Hockey League top goaltender and most valuable player. He’s on a two-way deal with a $813,333 cap hit for this season.
All members of this trio have give Conroy reason to be comfortable so far in training camp: Markstrom played two shutout periods in the Flames’ 10-0 exhibition win over Vancouver on Sunday. Vladar made 35 saves in their 3-2 shootout win in Seattle on Monday. And after a tough outing on Sunday against Seattle, Wolf bounced back with a strong performance in a 3-2 shootout win in Winnipeg on Wednesday.
Wolf is the only one of the three that is waiver exempt, meaning that Wolf can be ferried up and down from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers without risk of losing him to another team. His waiver exemption lasts until the end of the 2024-25 season, which gives the Flames a lot of flexibility regarding how they manage their goaltending this season. (And next.)
“We’re in a good situation with the three goalies and you just feel like you don’t want to hurt yourself by just making a move to make a move,” said Conroy.
Be sure to check out Frankly Speaking wherever you get your podcasts.
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