Flames expect Markstrom to return at some point this season
The injury to Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom may be a bit more serious than initially expected, but it isn’t believed to be season-ending.
Markstrom was in the starter’s net at morning skate prior to Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche but was surprisingly scratched from the lineup later in the day with what the Flames called a “day-to-day” lower-body injury. Dustin Wolf was recalled from the Calgary Wranglers as a result and got the start in last night’s 4-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.
Given the trade speculation over the past month, paired with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggesting they may want to be cautious with him moving forward, there was talk among fans that they may be considering shutting the 34-year-old down. That doesn’t appear to be the case, however, as head coach Ryan Huska told reporters after today’s practice that he isn’t concerned with the injury and expects his starting goalie to be back before the season concludes.
Thereās been some questions about Jacob Markstromās status with #flames, but today head coach Ryan Huska was pretty clear in saying that Markstrom will likely play again at some point this season & heās not concerned with the injury.
ā Salim Nadim Valji (@salimvalji) March 15, 2024
Though Huska never gave a timeline, his comments indicate that Markstrom may remain out of the lineup for a bit of time moving forward, which could allow Wolf to make a few more starts this month. He has struggled through his eight NHL appearances this season with a 3.31 goals against average (GAA) and a .892 save percentage (SV%) but looked as advertised last night, kicking aside 28 of the 29 shots he faced.
The Flames are back in action tomorrow night versus the Montreal Canadiens, a game in which Wolf is likely to get the nod for. It’s a favourable matchup for the 23-year-old netminder, as the Canadiens sit 27th in league standings with just 2.73 goals per game this season.
Follow Channels and Categories