Dustin Wolf is about to get a much heavier workload in Calgary.
With Devin Cooley sidelined, the Flames are shifting their crease plans for the next stretch, and the team has already brought up Arseni Sergeev from the Wranglers. Head coach Ryan Huska confirmed Cooley’s status Friday, saying, “We would say he’s week-to-week, I guess is what I would say.”
Cooley’s injury came after he was forced out during Wednesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers following a collision with Colton Dach. He had been riding a strong run before that, winning four straight and making his fifth consecutive start in that contest. Calgary later placed the 29-year-old on injured reserve.
It’s a frustrating turn for Cooley, who had given the Flames a real boost in net. In seven appearances this season, he’s put up a 2.69 GAA and a .914 SV%.
That hot streak had helped cover for a rough opening to the year from Wolf. After giving up three goals on 23 shots in relief against Edmonton, Wolf is sitting on a 4.81 GAA and a .831 SV%. Now the Flames need him to steady things, and he’ll get that chance tonight against the Seattle Kraken.
Calgary also got a better read on Brennan Othmann, who left early against the Oilers as well. He won’t play this evening, but Huska said he’s day-to-day with an upper-body ailment.
To fill that opening, the Flames recalled William Stromgren from the Wranglers. The Swedish winger has been producing early, with three goals and 11 points in 11 games this season.
In Other News...
Mike Babcock Just Created An Oilers Decision Flames Fans Will Notice
Mike Babcocks return to the spotlight has already produced a familiar kind of debate around how he handles players, with former NHLer Corrado pointing to the contrast between Babcocks deep systems knowledge and Craig St. Louis more individualized approach. For teams around the league, and especially for rival fans watching Edmonton closely, it is the kind of coaching choice that can say as much about the room as it does about the lineup card.
Jake Walmans situation only sharpened that conversation. The defenseman was scratched in a recent game despite the size of his commitment and the fact that he has already dealt with an upper-body injury this season, a move that underscores how quickly Babcock is willing to make hard calls. For Calgary fans, it is another reminder that Edmontons internal decisions can ripple beyond one night on the schedule, especially when a coach with Babcocks reputation starts drawing a line between trust, usage and accountability. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Suddenly Face A Crease And Lineup Problem Before Back To Back
The Flames had to adjust on the fly after a bruising night against Edmonton left their roster thinner at two important spots, and the timing is far from ideal with back-to-back games against Western Conference opponents coming up. Calgary turned to the Wranglers for help, bringing up forward William Strmgren and goaltender Arsenii Sergeev as it tries to stabilize both the lineup and the crease.
For now, the goaltending picture points toward Dustin Wolf carrying the load with Sergeev behind him, while the forward group will have to manage without Brennan Othmann. It is the kind of short-term disruption that can ripple through a schedule quickly, especially when the games keep coming and the Flames do not have much time to sort out the next move. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Just Got Tied To A Concerning Flames Injury Update
The Flames are already dealing with another round of injury uncertainty in camp, and the latest update hits a position group that can quickly reshape the conversation around the roster. Head coach Ryan Huska said goaltender Devin Cooley is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, while defenseman Brennan Othmann is day-to-day with an upper-body issue, giving Calgary a few more moving parts to manage as it sorts out its depth.
Cooleys setback came after a game collision, and he has already acknowledged he will miss time, which only adds to the concern around a team trying to keep its crease situation stable. Connor Zary of the AHL Calgary Wranglers is also week-to-week after knee surgery, leaving the Flames with multiple injury timelines to monitor and a few unanswered questions about how quickly they can get back to full health. [Read more 🡒]