Wolf, top goalie in WHL, signs three-year contract with Flames

Dustin Wolf signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames on Friday.

"This is just the beginning," the 19-year-old goalie said. "It's a very exciting day for myself, my family and the people that supported me along the way, but this is where the real work begins to prove people wrong.

"It's been a long and unique journey to get here but I wouldn't have had it any other way. Teams are going to be missing out, simply put. I'm going to do my best to prove them wrong and make them regret not selecting me."

A seventh-round pick (No. 214) by the Flames in the 2019 NHL Draft, Wolf (6-foot, 165 pounds) likely would have been selected much sooner if not for his size, Flames general manager Brad Treliving said.

"We got him at a spot in the draft we probably didn't think we would get him," Treliving said. "It's funny with him. People talk about a lot of things he isn't, which is 6-foot-4. I don't really care how big you are. If you find a way to keep it out ... and this is what he does. He's a really, really determined young guy. So good for him. He's still a young player. He just recently turned 19 (April 16). He's put up top numbers in the Western Hockey League and I suspect he'll be named goaltender of the year. I may be a little bit biased.

"If he's 6-foot-2 with the characteristics he has, I think you're talking about a top-two-round pick. He's a little bit shorter. We'll see how it all plays out. The puck seems to hit him so far. It's a big step up from the Western League to pro hockey. The kid is going to either make it or die trying, and those are the kinds of guys you want to have."

Wolf was 34-10-2 this season for Everett of the Western Hockey League, led the WHL in goals-against average (1.88), save percentage (.935) and shutouts (nine), and tied for the most wins. Wolf was named a First-Team WHL All-Star and won the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy, awarded to the WHL's top goalie. He also was named the Canadian Hockey League goaltender of the year.

"It's a step in the right direction but there's more work to be done," Wolf said. "I'm going to do everything I can to get my shot and hopefully get to the NHL one day. Until then, I'm going to keep working and stay focused and then, hopefully in a couple years I'll be able to put on the Flames jersey on a nightly basis."

Wolf is 88-31-4 with a 1.85 GAA, a .934 save percentage and 20 shutouts in 127 games in three seasons with Everett, and 5-5 with a 1.99 GAA, a .915 save percentage and one shutout in 11 WHL playoff games.

Wolf was Everett teammates with Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart in 2017-18.

"You don't really know what to expect from your rookie year, but I was very fortunate to be given an opportunity after coming back from offseason hip surgery and to learn from Carter Hart, who is a tremendous goalie to lean on and get advice from," Wolf said. "From that point on, I knew I belonged in the league and our team hasn't skipped a beat since which says a lot about the great players and coaching staff we have."

NHL.com independent correspondent Aaron Vickers contributed to this report