EVERETT — It was always the plan for Dustin Wolf to shoulder the lion’s share of starts in goal for the Everett Silvertips this season.
It wasn’t the plan for him to play every minute between the pipes in the first 15 games, which the 17-year-old netminder has done thus far this season.
But Wolf has handled the planned — and unplanned — monstrous workload in stride, much to the delight of the Silvertips.
“I feel like I’m doing better than expected, to be honest,” Wolf said of handling the workload. “I’m just trying to get as much rest as possible and whenever I have the chance to get away from the rink I try to get away. … Just all the travel and the amount of rest you need to play at the optimum level, it’s a tough job for sure. But I think I’m embracing it to the maximum potential right now.”
While backing up Carter Hart last season, Wolf witnessed first hand the three-time WHL goaltender of the year prepare for No. 1 goaltender duties. But not once did Hart start three games in three nights last season, something Wolf has done twice this season.
The first instance was semi-planned. Everett head coach Dennis Williams started Wolf against Portland in the Tips’ 3-1 win on Sept. 23 after they dropped the first two games of the season against Vancouver because Williams felt Wolf in net was the Everett’s best chance to salvage the opening weekend.
Blake Lyda, who opened the season as the Silvertips’ backup goaltender, was supposed to start either against Kamloops on Oct. 13 or at Portland on Oct. 14, but suffered an upper-body injury during morning skate on Oct. 12, rendering him unavailable for the weekend. It’s very possible Lyda would have appeared in net during the Silvertips’ recent six-game Eastern Conference road trip if he was available.
Lyda will remain out for about another month after a minor surgery, prompting Everett to acquire 18-year-old goaltender Max Palaga on Monday to man the backup duties for the near future. The Silvertips will play seven games in 10 days between Nov. 9 and Nov. 18, including two back-to-back-to-back stretches, and Palaga is now available to spell Wolf when needed, a luxury the Silvertips haven’t had in weeks.
At the level Wolf is playing at, it would be difficult to leave him on the bench. The California native has only gotten stronger throughout the season, as he earned WHL goaltender of the week honors after posting a 3-1-0-0 record, a 1.01 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage over the final four games of Everett’s Eastern Conference road swing last week.
“I heard when I came into the organization that this is something that he’s been doing since he was a very young player,” Silvertips assistant coach Harry Mahood said. “(Accounts of) handling big workloads on youth teams, five or six games a weekend, and thriving on that workload. And he’s playing with a great deal of confidence and it’s confidence in things that you want it to be founded in, which is technical proficiency and tactical understanding. He prepares like a pro every day and that’s what we see. He’s there every game and he gives us not only a chance to win, but a chance to move into the top ends of the league.”
Wolf’s summer of training and additional obligations with Team USA, most prominently starting three games for the Americans at the Hlinka-Gretzky Under-18 Cup in August, prepared him for the physical demands of being the Silvertips’ starter.
He also consulted with a mindfulness coach, Walter Aguilar out of Vancouver, who has worked with the Silvertips before, to sharpen the mental side of Wolf’s game. Wolf said he still regularly communicates with him over text message throughout the season.
“So far he’s helped me get through some things this year,” Wolf said. “He’s been crucial so far, I think.”
Striking a balance on-and-off the rink is something Wolf has prioritized this season. The young goaltender takes his mind off hockey like most teenage athletes. In between school work, he’ll watch a show on Netflix, some videos on YouTube or the NHL and WHL highlights from that night.
Staying mentally sharp is the most effective aspect for successful goaltending, Wolf said.
“Even when you’re playing so many games in a short amount of time, it’s so much more mental than it is physical,” Wolf said. “You just focus on putting your energy in the places that you want to or that you’re tired or you’re sick or something.”
There was a strong belief amongst Silvertips hockey personnel that Wolf would slide in just fine behind Hart. That inkling, so far, has been accurate.
“After having Carter Hart here for a number of years, we have another young man who’s very capable of playing at a high level,” Silvertips general manager Garry Davidson said. “He’s mature beyond his years.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
