Do the Calgary Flames have a goalie controversy on their hands?
Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley is quickly making a name for himself in the NHL circles.
The 28-year-old rookie was able to beat out Ivan Prosvetov for the backup position this season, but didn’t have a ton of confidence from others that he was the right man for the job. That even goes for the Calgary Flames coaching staff, who elected to have Dustin Wolf start both games of a back-to-back set to kick off the 2025-26 season.
Cooley wound up making his first start of the season on Oct. 15, where he kicked aside 29 of 31 shots he faced in a 3-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth. That turned out to be a sign of what was to come, as he’s continued to be every bit as good in the six starts he’s made since.
In seven total starts and 10 appearances on the season, Cooley sits third amongst all NHL goalies with a .931 SV%. His 1.88 GAA also ranks third amongst all goalies who have made five or more appearances this season.
Had Flames fans heard those numbers going into the season, they would have been thrilled, thinking that Cooley established himself as a very reliable backup behind Wolf. That isn’t exactly the case, however, as there is instead somewhat of a goalie controversy beginning in Calgary.
Though the team in front of him deserves some blame, Wolf hasn’t been nearly as exceptional in 2025-26 as he was in his rookie season. He has a rather disappointing 3.17 GAA along with a .890 SV%.
His struggles have paved the way for Cooley to get a bigger look, and he certainly has as of late. The 6-foot-5 netminder has started four of the Flames’ last six games.
Three of those starts have come against some of the NHL’s best in the Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, and Carolina Hurricanes. Cooley was able to pick up wins against the Stars and Panthers, while allowing just one goal in an overtime loss on Sunday versus the ‘Canes.
And, make no mistake, these recent starts for Cooley haven’t been due to the Flames wanting to give Wolf some rest.
“A lot of it is Devin’s done a really good job,” head coach Ryan Huska said. “He’s finding a way to get us points. He’s finding a way to make the key save at the right time, so you want to reward him.”
Making matters all the worse for Wolf is that he had his worst NHL start to date last week, giving up three goals on just four shots versus the Tampa Bay Lightning before getting the hook. If those struggles continue into his next few starts, Cooley’s playing time will only increase further.
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