Is a Dustin Wolf extension a priority this off-season for Flames?

Is a Dustin Wolf extension a priority this off-season for Flames?

joined now by our Calgary Flames bureau chief extraordinaire he can wear a terrific suit at home if he wants to it’s Sullum Vali soom great to see you it’s been a It’s been too long it’s been too long since I’ve chatted with you we got to talk about the Flames off season the The biggest question I think on the minds of Calgary Flames fans right now is Rasmus Anderson he will be a UFA next July the 1st therefore he could potentially sign a contract extension this July the 1st but will he be around to do that or will the Flames trade him how do you see this situation playing out in hindsight Jay it is fascinating relisting to his final press conference there because it really does sound like a goodbye press conference he was reflective he He kind of joked with me hey Soom I liked your tweet about my contract did you see it did you see it it was pretty funny but it it goes to show that that he knew probably that the end of his tenure in Calgary was coming um around the time he talked with his favorite reporters for potentially the last time and one of the comments he said Jay that really stood out to me was um something to the effect of there’s only so many minutes for a right shot defenseman and he he knows that Zayn Perk is this organization’s present and future and and this hot shot prospect is going to get every opportunity in training camp uh to to make the club and and Perk projects as a power play quarterback and an offensive defenseman and someone that could potentially do things that Anderson just couldn’t right he never really settled into that power play quarterback role but was still such a good defenseman heart and soul leader um the things he said to us in the media to to stand up for teammates or the odd sarcastic comment here or there uh but at that press conference he sounded reflective i asked him you know did you allow yourself to think that this could be that that game that final home game at the dome could have been your last uh as a flame and he said he kind of did and um it goes to show that these guys the noise does does affect them and I I think it seems inevitable that both sides are going to move on right he’s at that age where he’s going to demand a big contract the Flames aren’t necessarily in that spot where they’re doing out money to veterans like they were a couple of years ago when they brought in Nazen Cadri uh and others so I think it’s inevitable and he’s been a great flame he’s been fantastic to deal with over the years uh really funny guy really sarcastic but you know sometimes it’s a great marriage that ends in a separation and I think that’s what’s going to happen here as for Dustin Wolf uh I mean what more can you say about his rookie season it was incredible runner up for the Calder Trophy he’s got a year left on his deal before he becomes a restricted free agent safe to say that GM Craig Conroy would like to get him locked up sooner rather than later i imagine so because they’ve got such a a backstory with him right they’ve had him in the organization for a few years i think there’s no complaints with his work ethic or or this uh past Calder Calderesque season being a one-off i think they only see room for growth and uh his teammates really commended him like they like him a lot they love how he bounces back from tough games how he takes accountability him being a little more mature than you or I probably were when we were in our early 20s if we’re being honest Jay um so so I think they really appreciate that and I I imagine they view him um as a franchise cornerstone why wouldn’t you he he’s proven everyone wrong at every single level he’s from Northern California but he was he might still be in Calgary right now he he loves being in this city and he was you know shooting hoops at the NBA exhibit not far from me a few weeks ago i I think he really enjoys the the vibe of the city and I imagine if they can lock him up for a maximum term deal why wouldn’t you right it’s the most important position in the sport and as we see to our neighbors to the north if you have questions in goal it can have dire consequences and I think for Dustin Wolf the Flames kind of know that he’s their franchise goalie and to have him being a seventh rounder um and finding that and nurturing it it’s a testament to him and the organization now it’s just a question I think of putting pen to paper but I do think they want to get him locked up and remaining a flame for for really close to the next decade speaking of popular Calgary Flames Costco himself Justin Kirkland signed a one-year extension on Monday $900,000 calgary has a lot of cap space available 25 million available you mentioned earlier in this chat with me that you didn’t see the Flames going after the same kind of veterans they did a couple of years ago when they went after Nazum Cadry so what do you think they will do in free agency with all that dough i think they’ll do a whole lot Jay because you you look at last year they brought in Anthony Mantha uh who had a decent start to the season then he he got hurt and Tyson Barry I would call those two stop gap veterans they’re not part of the future they’re probably they probably weren’t ever going to be um in the lineup when they opened the new Style Dome in a couple of years but if you think about it Jay Anthony Mantha’s injury opened the door for Matt Coronado matt Cornado burst on a scene as a sophomore and showed this organization he’s probably gonna be a 30-goal two-way player here for a long time and they locked him up to a pretty healthy extension a while back and I think they’re aware that they don’t want to put roadblocks in front of the young players but they do want to give them competition so that’s why I don’t think we’re seeing um more stop gap veterans this this season coming up for the Flames are going to give their young players every opportunity for topline power play minutes for for riding shotgun alongside what’s become a pretty good firstline duo in Nazum Cadri and Jonathan Hubro they don’t want to give these kids um uh any any impediments they want to make sure these kids are competitive and and and eager and and always kind of working their tails off but I don’t think they’re going to bring in any any other veterans to necessarily take those spots beyond that Jay um I think they desperately want a right-handed shooting center there’s just none available right i looked on NHL.com and and do you want to guess Jay how many right centers played more than 41 games that were born after the year 2000 last season take a guess first of all that was an incredible job on the falsetto uh I don’t know five 15 so you’re not far off but they’re they’re kind of like a shooting star right so um and it’s names like Conor Badard and Will Smith who are not leaving those respective teams so um you look they want that and I think they’re going to try hard to get that obviously you can use Anderson um to to attempt to get that right shooting center who’s who under 26 but they are so rare and I think that’s their priority more than say a PTO or a short-term bridge contract for a veteran calgary has two picks in the first round of the draft on Friday number 18 number 32 so they will be able to add to an already very deep prospect pool the future appears to be bright in cow town solomi you did a great job uh and let’s talk a little more frequently from now on okay as long as I can stand still

How do you see the Rasmus Andersson situation playing out? Is a Dustin Wolf extension a priority this off-season for the Flames? How active do you see the Flames being in free agency? TSN Calgary Bureau Chief Salim Valji joins SC with Jay Onrait to discuss.