Flames remain tight-lipped on opening-night netminding plan

Will it be Dan Vladar or Dustin Wolf in the Flames’ crease for Game 1? ‘If you hear anything, let me know,’ Vladar quipped

You’re not the only one wondering.

“If you hear anything, let me know,” quipped Dan Vladar, one of the two candidates.

Flames head coach Ryan Huska hinted that he’s made up his mind, but he’s not ready to spill the beans just yet.

He plans to share the news with his puck-stoppers on Tuesday.

“Don’t try to sneak in there tomorrow and ask them or anything like that,” Huska teased during Monday’s media availability. “I like to tell them the day before so they can go through their routines and prepare properly. I think, for a goaltender, they would rather know that instead of just showing up at the rink (on game day) and finding out he’s starting.”

It seems like a safe bet that Vladar and Dustin Wolf will see a relatively even split of starts over the next few weeks, and probably over the next several months, but there’s certainly some prestige that comes with the opening-night nod.

Dan Vladar
Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar during practice at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.Brent Calver/Postmedia

Wolf, meanwhile, is typically billed as Calgary’s goaltender of the future. This is the first time the 23-year-old has cracked the start-of-season roster.

“You always want to be the guy, right? That’s the ultimate goal,” Wolf said. “Me and Vladdy are obviously going to battle and whoever gives the team the best chance to win is going to play.”

Indeed, a Game 1 gig doesn’t necessarily mean a workhorse role for the entire winter.

“I think we have a pretty good handle on who’s going to start the opening night,” Huska said. “And then we will go from there.”

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