Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - How GOOD Can The Calgary Flames D-Core & Goaltending Be?? w/TSN's Noodles | BB Clips

Episode Date: September 24, 2026

Boomer and Rhett are joined by TSN’s Noodles for a wide-ranging conversation about the Calgary Flames and some of the most intriguing young pieces in the organization. The guys dive into Calgary’s young blue line and what the future could look like with Zayne Parekh, Henry Mews and Simon Nemec before turning their attention to the crease. How should the Flames handle the workload between Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley, and what should the split look like over a full season? Noodles is especially bullish on Wolf, believing a BIG year could be coming for the Flames’ young goaltender as he takes another step in his development.Video Link: https://youtu.be/SiHfQR5r9yY #nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #calgaryflames CHECK OUT OUR STUFF ⬇️ BARN BURNER MERCH https://nationgear.ca/collections/shirts/Flamesnation BARN BURNER SHORTS https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9&si=jo8iNGxT4ImhS2Y8 📲 Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fnbarnburner/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/barnburnerfn?lang=en 🎧 Listen on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/barn-burner-boomer-pinder-with-rhett-warrener/id1648562889 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mc6Qd5U22R2zbMlQ7RxIi Producer: Jack Haverstock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well, we were just talking about, you know, we get the situation. We've been calm for this situation with the flames. Who are the people that we're going to be excited about? And because they're not forwards, like Celebrini or Bardard, you're like, wow, geez, they're kind of thin here. How are we this thick into a rebuild? But there's no jobs to be wanted camp and there's no, well, Perek is. It's Perek and Nemich on the back end that are the big. talent. And guess what? Carson Carl's.

Yes, but he might wear a jersey this year at the end of the year, maybe. I think him and Ratchney will both be here when Norris. You're calling it, I'm not. But what I'm saying is if they show up, you look at this team. I've been saying this and banging this drum. This team 18 months from now, it's built differently, but it's going to be special. You're going to have arguably the best rink in the league. you know, I'm hearing, all I hear about it is amazing, amazing, amazing. I don't disagree with that. You got a goalie.

Now, keep in mind that the goalie, this is his first, I'm sorry, this is his third full year in the league. Played 17 games, the one year up and down. But I'm calling it third full league year in the third full season in the national hockey league. They all the usually in your third year. That's when the light goes on. So I'm expecting big things from Dustin Wolf. And it's not that Cooley can't push him and they can't battle for the net.

But I just, I think there's a level that that Wolf can get to that the other guy can't. And that's just how special he is. So you got special in net. I think you've got an opportunity for, for a three spot of really good young defensemen with Nemish, Perrek into Carson Carl's. And then, uh, who's the, who's, four there. Ball. Yeah.

Like solid, solid player. Then you got the guy with the mustache who's going to protect them all. Yeah. Jacob Middleton. Yes, exactly. Like, to me, they're built differently, but you've got an opportunity to be special. Now you need the grid and the, you know, the Coronado's, just take another step. And then Connie with cap space and picks and prospects and all of that type of stuff.

can go to work and try and fill out his top end talent up front. And that's, you know, realistically, there's no secret there. I'm not, you know, given any state secrets. I think we all see the same thing. But there would be a ton of teams

that would be dying to be built like that from the back end out if guys project, you know, get what they project to be. Yeah. If, because you've done it before, if you were running the,

the goaltenders, a year like this for Calgary where it's not really about winning, it's about development. How would you split the workload? If both guys are healthy, do you want Wolf playing a ton? Because we talk about Perak,

play them all the minutes to play the bag off of him. Would you pull back on Wolf a little bit? Would you play Cooley Moore? How would you want, because like you say, it's about Wolf, what would you see as the best development year for him? I think in today's world,

keep in mind there's 84 games. So starters are now playing 55, 50 to 55 in that range. There you go. I said it last week, too. I think that number is reasonable for all starters in the league. What you do need now is a tandem or a guy who can absorb 30 games or 30 plus or whatever. And you really need three goalies that can play.

Because I said this, and I've said it before, last year, 98 goaltenders played in the league. Do the math. You know, that's a minimum three per team. I look at all teams, and they pretty much have a third guy. that they would trust who could be either up and down, depends on how your team is built. So that would be the biggest challenge. We know that Wolf is their number one.

They've committed to him financially. He is, I think, the guy with the most, the highest ceiling. So if he can get to 55 games, that's your progression. And he needs to do it year in and year out, 55, 55. And maybe one year it's 58 or it's 60. If he's having a great year or maybe there's, he's a bit sore a couple weeks or whatever and you pull him back and he only gets to 52.

Either way, I think consistently he has to be a 50 plus game starter for your organization if you're head in the right direction. 100%. Just to further on that, just because we're playing the what if game. If he's struggling this year, do you make him play more or less? You know what I mean? Because it's like, 100%. I agree with you. I think you have to understand the situation and Ryan Huska.

See, here's the thing. I would say less because Huska just wants to win. And if Kooli's pushing him, Kooli's playing that night. Because Ryan Huska's job is to produce wins. Yes, develop everybody and all that. But I've said this before. I've never watched a Flames game under Ryan Huska as the coach that cheated you for effort. They may not have won that night.

They may not have had. There was one of them. there was one game. It was in Vegas. Okay. Which is, was it Utah? Utah or Utah?

I had a tough night at Vegas myself when I was a broadcaster and I smoked about five cigars. I get the next night I was like, it was like I was chewing on a cigar trying to talk. So, I mean, Vegas gets the best of everybody. But I will say this, that the cheat for effort and coming back to it, like Ryan Huska is going to try and win every night. That's his job. and he's going to put in the net who he believes. But there also is a long plan, I would think, or not even a long plan,

maybe a shorter term plan to get these guys to that next level. So I think the challenge is you give Dustin Wolf a longer leash, but if he continues to, if he struggles, you don't just go, you're going back in the net because you've got a long-term deal. I'm sorry. There has to be a healthy competition. And I think the kid has to have that internal drive

to want to be better. And I said this. I did a segment the other day that I think Dustin Wolf's going to have a great season. And I said, he's a special player. And I was asked why. And I said, okay, well, let's take a look at his record in Everett. Top goalie, two years in a row, wins MVP of the league. Goes to the HL, top goalie, two years in a row, wins MVP of the league.

Comes to the NHL. His first season, I think he had 29. wins. Don't quote me. I think it was 29 wins, but all rookie team, hell of a, hell of a player. Projection for him, every time we think this guy, ah, you know what, maybe too small, two this, this and that,

all he does is prove people wrong. And I think what you have to understand is he's a special player and a special goaltender. Last year, yes, there was we'll call it a market reset. But that happens to everybody. So I think now the progression is like you

plateaued a little bit last year. Now you've got to continue to push. And ice time will be dictated by, you know, his play, but he'll push himself to be there. Put it that way. Would you care to wager a cheese toast on that? Yeah, well, I owe you two bad. Double or not.

Okay, we'll throw a steak into this. We'll put a steak down and say that not only is Dustin Wolf going to have a great year, but he will play something at least with a five in it. So that's 50, whatever. Last year, yeah, last year 55 starts the year prior 53. his numbers dipped from, again, 24-25 to last season. He went from a 2.6-4 goals against to a 3.01, and the save percentage went from a 9-10 to an 899.

Now, again, it's a team that traded away Rasmus Anderson and McKenzie Weeger. I mean, it was... Yeah, there were some moving parts. Not to take everything away from him, because he's still... I say he doesn't. You don't say he doesn't what? Well, you're saying he's going to escalate, I don't think you're saying he's going to win the Vesna,

but every time he answers, I say he's flat. Well, do you want to use that three? What's the bar, though? I was going to say, like, this bar from last year. Like a 3.0, so three goals against 900. I've been a no-lose situation because I'm way ahead in the game

and you're a cheap bastard, but so, yeah, let's go with this year's, this year's numbers. I messaged you and invited you out and you didn't come. So that was, that was, I don't know who wins on that. That should have brought us back to even. So anyways, I will throw my cheese toast that I owe you. It's like it's like Seinfeld when he pays up for the lunch.

It's like soup is not a meal. Well, technically, yes, exactly. Banja. If I, if I offer to buy you, that is, did I buy you? Even though I didn't. I'm just telling you, I will wager all the cheese toast at Caesar steakhouse that they have. Loves and loaves of bread. So we're going to go at this year's numbers.

He'll be better than last year's number. He'll get to have better numbers than last year. Yes, which, you know, I don't think is the worst thing in the world because he did have a down statistical year. If you asked me the year before numbers, that's, that's, that's having a great season. Keep in mind. Well, that's what we want them to get to? But, but like, what was it, Boomer? 908.

Last year, two years ago, 2.64 and a 910. 910. 910 in today's world. Those are, that's a high, high bar. Keep in mind. The league average was below 900 last year. Yeah. I mean, I was going to say.

It was like 89. I believe at one point it was like 88.6 or 87. But the league has changed. Guys are not wasting shots. So this is the other thing that I, and you are getting now shot tracking that is quite consistent. It used to be, hey, Carolina is stingy with its shots. The Rangers and Pittsburgh are very generous.

So, you know, Henrik Lundquist, a slap shot from Center Rice that's going into the corner. He goes out and puts his glove on. it, hey, let's give them two shots for that one. Like certain buildings, now you don't see those rink effects anymore. So what I'm saying is nowadays, these guys are taught. So not just down the wall, they don't take the Mike Bossy shot anymore. They're looking for another option, another better option.

So shot quality is up, shot volume is down from the traditional. Is shot ability better as well? I would think so. Right? you're looking at players that we may be farther down in your lineup they're still really good with the puck put it in the yeah yeah they still can hit your hit the holes where you know the guys the guys that I played but there were some guys that if I left now you're not beating anything past this year this would catch everything but a person with regular ears there's there's a hole there you know so that type of

stuff come on yellow yeah put it in exactly so anyways I do think he will have a better statistical year this year just based on my expectation for him. And that's good. And that's high.