CALGARY — Twelve goals in two games.
That’s Dustin Wolf’s ugly introduction to a season that was supposed to be about taking another step forward.
Six goals in each of his first two games is hardly the start anyone envisioned for the Calgary Flames’ $52.5-million man, particularly with the start of his seven-year contract now making every soft goal, bad bounce and ugly number that much more scrutinized.
Wolf isn’t hiding from any of it.
He’s also not panicking, as he feels better equipped than ever to handle the adversity.
“Last year was just a struggle all around for myself,” said Wolf in a quiet chat outside the Flames dressing room.
“Whether it was at the rink, or away from the rink, I struggled from a lot of different areas. It's a brand-new year. I like to think I'm in a better place for a lot of different spots. It's important to have your head wrapped around the right things.”
That stability away from the rink, he believes, gives him a better chance to find stability inside it.
Asked whether getting engaged has helped settle him, Wolf didn’t hesitate.
“Having the best person at home to support you, she's the absolute best,” said Wolf of his fiancée, Sawyer Norman.
“I come home to food. She bakes me banana bread, cookies every time I come back from a trip. Anytime I come home the house is always clean. She's just a loving, supporting person.
“If you don't have that, it's really hard to find success at the rink. So certainly very grateful, and I think it's definitely a critical point of me as a person and as a goalie.”
It’s a candid offering from a 25-year-old goaltender whose job requires the ability to compartmentalize.
Which brings us back to those 12 goals.
“I mean, those are two games that didn't go well,” said Wolf, of the pair of 6-1 losses against Seattle he endured.
“From me, top-to-bottom, just nothing went right. It definitely sucked. Didn't feel great in the moment.”
He felt he was thinking too much, particularly against the rush, worrying about too many options instead of concentrating on the puck carrier.
“No doubt, after both those games, I'm pissed off,” he said.
“At times, you do think the world is falling because you're trying to have a good start to the year, and giving up 12 goals in two games is not a good start. So it's kind of a blessing in disguise to have a few days in between games here and just get ready for the next start.”
Despite the obvious rebuild being played out in front of him, Wolf’s ultimate goal is still winning games, or at the very least giving his undermanned squad a chance every night.
He admits last season’s numbers (2.99 GAA and .899 save percentage) weren’t good enough, and told the coaching staff he didn’t like his season.
“I’m gonna be ready to have a way better year this year,” he told them.
Wolf supplemented his summer workouts by sharing the gym with Norman, and spent a month-and-a-half in Meadow Lake, Sask., where he says being in nature helped reset his mind.
As much as goalie coach Jason LaBarbera wants him to focus on the process, not outcomes, Wolf is driven by wins.
He knows the first two games were terrible.
He knows people will remember the 12 goals.
He also knows there are 81 games left on the schedule and a lot of hockey left to play.
One thing that hasn’t changed, is he is hoping to make upwards of 65 starts this year.
That’s a lofty target for a goalie who played 53 games last season, especially considering there were legitimate concerns he may have been burned out by being thrown into the fire too much, too early.
Wolf isn’t buying the idea that he needs to be handled delicately, but also knows he’ll need to rediscover the form he showed two seasons ago if he’s going to keep upstart backup Devin Cooley on the bench.
“Whoever's playing well is probably going to play,” said Wolf, well-aware his backup’s numbers were superior to his last season.
“I'm excited to prove people wrong, that I didn't have my best year, and I'm here to get us wins.”
