WHL Alumni Spotlight: Two-time WHL Goaltender of the Year Wolf making den in Saddledome ice

tWith over 100 graduates currently featured on NHL rosters, the Western Hockey League prides itself as one of the finest development leagues in the World.

By way of the WHL Alumni Spotlight, we aim to highlight notable achievements set by our alumni at the highest level of professional hockey on a week-to-week basis.

This is what our WHL Alumni were up to over the last week.

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Dustin Wolf staking claim in Flames’ crease

In the absence of Calgary Flames’ starting netminder Jacob Markstrom, Everett Silvertips alumni Dustin Wolf has built himself a den between the pipes at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alta.

That recovery from Dustin Wolf 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/yJRZLtmlHa

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 15, 2024

After spending parts of three seasons with Calgary’s AHL affiliate club, Wolf has taken up the Flames’ starting goaltender mantle during the club’s last three games. Since then, the netminder hailing from Gilroy, Calif., has posted a noteworthy record of 2-1 and a three-game save percentage of 0.929. Wolf has made eight total starts for the Flames during the 2023-24 season, posting a record of 3-4-1 and a save percentage of .897. While the former Silvertips goaltender has been given an increased number of starts during the current regular season campaign, his first career start with the Flames came in the season prior where he recorded a 24-save victory over the San Jose Sharks on April 12, 2023. 

Two straight wins in two straight starts for Dustin Wolf. 🐺

Catch him back in net when the Flames take on the Capitals TONIGHT at 8:30pm ET / 6:30pm MT on Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+! pic.twitter.com/1ABg8e3FeT

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 18, 2024

For Wolf, success seems to follow the netminder at each and every level he’s been featured in. During a four-season occupancy in the WHL, Wolf posted a record of 106-34-4-2, a save percentage of .935, and a goals-against-average of 1.84 in his 149 career starts. This included a near-perfect, 18-3-0-0 regular season record during his final year in Everett. Wolf was the CHL and WHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year for the 2018-19 season, the CHL’s Goaltender of the Year for 2019-20, and is a two-time recipient of the Del Wilson Trophy as the WHL’s Goaltender of the Year (2020 and 2021). 

As a member of the Flames’ AHL affiliates, the Calgary Wranglers, Wolf spent back-to-back seasons leading all AHL goaltenders in wins while being named the recipient of the Baz Bastien Memorial Award for the AHL’s Best Goaltender in 2022 and 2023. In April 2023, Wolf continued to flesh out his resume aftering winning the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s Most Valuable Player.

Wolf was selected in the seventh round, 214th overall at the 2019 NHL Draft by the Flames.

Blackhawks’ rookie Bedard named NHL’s Second Star of the Week

A surprise to no one, the season-long narrative pertaining to Connor Bedard’s impeccable rookie season continues to burn bright in what’s been a damp and dreary season for the Chicago Blackhawks. 

With eight points (two goals—six assists) in his last four games, including a five-point outing against the Anaheim Ducks, Bedard was tagged as the NHL’s Second Star of the Week on March 17. This marked the first time Bedard was featured as a part of NHL’s week-to-week mentions, however, the Regina Pats’ alumni was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month in November and December. Bedard was just the second rookie — behind New Jersey Devils defenceman, Luke Hughes — that was named a Star of the Week this season. Now sitting at 54 points (21 goals—33 assists) through 55 games, Bedard leads all Blackhawks skaters and NHL rookies in goals, assists, and points. His 0.98 points per game also puts him in the lead among all first-year skaters who’ve played in ten or more games this season. 

Two more points tonight gives Connor Bedard a casual 53 points in 54 games this season. 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/ymn6IEPx5O

— NHL (@NHL) March 18, 2024

In his three-year WHL tenure with the Pats, Bedard was no stranger to in-season achievements. On February 7, 2022, Bedard was listed as the WHL’s Player of the Week for the first time, of many, in his career. In only his final year with the Pats during the 2022-23 season, the product of North Vancouver, B.C., was a four-time WHL Player of the Week and four-time WHL Player of the Month (September / October, November, January, and April). His end-of-season achievements followed a similar story too, as he graduated the League as the WHL’s Rookie of the Year in 2021 and the CHL and WHL’s Player of the Year in 2023. 

The first-overall selection at the 2023 NHL Draft collected 271 points (134 goals—137 assists) in 134 regular season games. 

Warriors alumni Point ties Lightning record with six-point night

Calgary, Alta., native and former Moose Jaw Warriors captain, Brayden Point cemented his name in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s record book following his career-high, six-point night (three goals—three assists) on March 14 against the New York Rangers. With a hat-trick in both goals and assists, Point became just the third player in franchise history — behind Nikita Kucherov (November 24, 2023) and Doug Crossman (November 7, 1992) — to record six points in a game with the Lightning. While Point was the third player in the franchise’s history to hit the six-point plateau, the WHL alumni was the first to do it in front of a home crowd. 

One for the books. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/ILgisyEvEt

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 15, 2024

The milestone evening was also the third time Point has recorded a hat-trick this season, hoisting his goal total up to 38 through 68 regular season games. His 75 points this season (38 goals—37 assists) puts him second among the Lightning ranks and marks the third time Point has recorded 70 or more points in a season.

BRAYDEN POINT WITH THE HATTY🧢🧢🧢 pic.twitter.com/D2xY9sWFNV

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 15, 2024

During his five-season span with the Saskatchewan-based Moose Jaw Warriors, Point recorded six points in a single game on one occasion — a 7-1 win over the Prince Albert Raiders on February 7, 2014. In 252 regular season games as a member of the Warriors, Point racked up 324 points (134 goals—190 assists), reached 85 or more points in three consecutive seasons, and is just one of four Warriors representatives to hit 300 or more career points in the WHL. 

In June 2014, Point was selected in the third round, 79th overall by the Lightning at the NHL Draft — becoming a crucial member in Tampa Bay’s back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in 2020 and 2021.