Congratulations poured in for Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf after he was named a Calder Trophy finalist on Monday. Late NHL player Johnny Gaudreau’s mother shared a special message congratulating the young goalie.
San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini and Montreal Canadiens’ Lane Hutson were also named as finalists.
Johnny Gaudreau’s Mother Congratulates Dustin Wolf
The Flames selected Wolf with a seventh-round pick (214th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft. This season, he went 29-16-8 in 53 games with a 2.64 goals-against average, .910 save percentage, and had three shutouts for Calgary.
He is the first Flames player to be nominated for the Calder Trophy since Gaudreau in the 2014-15 season. Jane Gaudreau said on X:
“Congratulations, @dwolf2332! This is such a well-deserved honor, and we couldn’t be happier for you. We still remember how highly John spoke of you when you joined the
@NHLFlames organization. He would be so proud of you.🔥❤️💛”
Congratulations, @dwolf2332! This is such a well-deserved honor, and we couldn’t be happier for you. We still remember how highly John spoke of you when you joined the @NHLFlames organization. He would be so proud of you.🔥❤️💛 pic.twitter.com/zGzQvk9O6K
— Jane Gaudreau (@JaneGaudreau) May 6, 2025
Johnny and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were killed in a hit-and-run accident on August 29, 2024. The brothers, who had returned to their hometown, Oldmans Township, New Jersey, for their younger sister’s wedding, were cycling on the side of the road at night when they were struck by a car allegedly driven by a drunk driver.
Gaudreau spent nine seasons with the Flames, scoring 210 goals and 399 assists for 609 points in 602 games with the club.
Since the tragic accident, the NHL community has rallied to support the Gaudreau family and held several memorial ceremonies for the brothers. Each team also had helmet decals with the numbers 13 and 21 during the opening games of the season, in their honor.
In October 2024, Wolf wore a goalie mask with the decal painted on the backplate. The helmet also had a sketch of Gaudreau in Flames colors, raising his stick to the crowd.
Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson the Other Calder Trophy Finalists
The Calder Memorial Trophy is awarded to the top rookie in the NHL, voted for by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. Wolf is vying to become the first goaltender to win the trophy since Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2009.
Celebrini was the San Jose Sharks’ No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old forward scored 25 goals in 70 games this season, second among rookies, only behind Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov (26).
Defenseman Hutson, meanwhile, led all rookies in assists (60) and points (66) through 82 games this season. Montreal chose him in the second round (No. 62 overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft, and he holds the record for the most points by a rookie defenseman in the franchise’s history.