Wolf gave up five goals on 39 shots in the Flames' 5-1 loss in Edmonton on Tuesday. He'll come out of the Christmas break with another start vs. the Oilers, who are 8-2-1 in their last 11 games while scoring an absurd 4.5 goals per game. Wolf has the fifth-lowest implied win% (43.6%) and sixth-highest implied goals against (3.4) on the slate, so he's a risky option on Saturday.
After a horrendous start to the season, Wolf has played significantly better lately, winning five of his last six (5-1-0) while posting a solid 2.25 GAA and .916 SV%. The 24-year-old sophomore goalie has a 2.92 GAA and .896 SV% in 27 games this season (11-13-2). The Flames enter Tuesday's contest as +144 road underdogs against the Edmonton Oilers, whom they defeated 4-3 in a shootout in their only meeting this season.
Hunt played two games with the Flames this season, but, after clearing waivers, will return to a familiar place in the AHL. The 30-year-old Hunt has 18 points (5G / 13A) in 16 games with the Wranglers (AHL) this season.
Kirkland started the season with the Flames, but has been with the Wranglers (AHL) since mid November, where he has seven points (5G / 2A) in 14 games. The 29-year-old Kirkland scored eight points (2G / 6A) in a career-high 21 games last season. He has one assist through nine games in 2025-26.
Bean has not played since suffering an injury on December 6th and will be sidelined for the foreseeable future after undergoing surgery. The 27-year-old Bean has two points (1G / 1A) and is averaging 15:57 time-on-ice in 16 games this season.
Othmann has only played one game with the Rangers this season and will draw back into the lineup for the first time since October 26th. He has 10 points (4G / 6A) in 19 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Wolf was seemingly turning a corner, with a tremendous 1.45 GAA and .940 SV% in his last five games (4-1-0), his winningest stretch of the season, before allowing five goals on 25 shots (.800 SV%) in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks. The 24-year-old Wolf has a 2.96 GAA and .896 SV% in 26 games this season (10-13-2). Still, the Flames enter Thursday's contest as -164 home favorites against a Seattle Kraken team that has failed to score more than three goals in 12 of their last 13 games (3-9-1).
Nick DeSimone will draw back into Utah's lineup on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings, sending Maatta to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 31-year-old Maatta is averaging a career-low 11:55 time-on-ice and has one assist in 19 games this season.
The Rangers are shaking up their roster, sending Jaroslav Chmelar and Brett Berard to Hartford (AHL), with Brennan Othmann and Gabriel Perreault coming back the other way in corresponding moves. The 23-year-old Othmann has only played one game with the Rangers this season. He has 10 points (4G / 6A) in 19 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
After an abysmal start to the season, the Flames have been much better lately, winning four of their last five (4-1-0), and will turn to Wolf to tend the twine on Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks. The 24-year-old Wolf has a tremendous 1.45 GAA and .940 SV% in his last five games (4-1-0), his winningest stretch of the season. He has a 2.86 GAA and .899 SV% in 25 games (10-12-2). The Flames enter the action on Tuesday as -131 road favorites against a Sharks team that will be without one of their top offensive contributors, Will Smith (undisclosed).
Backlund exited Saturday's 2-1 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings in the second period due to an undisclosed injury. He was not at practice on Monday and the team has not yet given an update on his status. The 36-year-old forward has 16 points (5G / 11A) in 33 games this season.
Parekh started the season with the Flames but saw very limited exposure, recording one assist while averaging 14:46 time on ice over 11 games. The talented 19-year-old defenseman has not played since November 7th, due to an undisclosed injury, but will join the Canadian team at the IIHF World Junior Championship, hopefully providing a boost to their chances as well as to his confidence.
Maatta has not played since November 18th due to an upper-body injury, but will return to the lineup on Friday against the Seattle Kraken. The 31-year-old Maatta was playing sheltered minutes before his injury, clocking in a career-low 11:48 time-on-ice and scoring one assist in 16 games.
Hunt is a veteran of 237 career NHL games, but has primarily been an AHL player for the past four seasons. The 30-year-old forward has 18 points (5G / 13A) in 16 games with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) this season.
Hunt has been a healthy scratch for the last four games and will head back to the AHL, where he has 16 points (5G / 11A) in 15 games this season. During his time with the Flames, the veteran winger had no points in two games.
Brzustewicz was a third-round pick, 75th overall, of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old defenseman played one game with the Flames last season, his only NHL game. He has 12 points (4G / 8A) in 23 games this season with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL). Brayden Pachal will be the odd man out of the lineup to accommodate Brzustewicz's debut.
Hunter Brzustewicz will draw into Calgary's lineup to make his season debut on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings, resulting in Pachal returning to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 26-year-old Pachal has been in and out of the lineup lately. He has three assists in 21 games.
