Calgary Flames Dustin Wolf Shares Edgework Skating Routine
- Dustin Wolf's edge work warm-up follows a four-part sequence: double skulls, single-leg skulls, single-leg circles (forward and backward), and a rotational inside-edge drill.
- Wolf has performed this same skating warm-up routine for 4-5 years, using it before both practices and games to activate his edges and body.
- The final inside-edge drill emphasizes keeping the non-skating leg planted while creating a controlled sway, which Wolf compares to 'opening a door from its hinges.'
- Wolf's strong tracking, skating, and edge work are consistently cited as the foundation of his goaltending success, which includes back-to-back AHL top goalie honors and league MVP.
- Wolf also uses a 'Feel-Good Drill' to close out every morning skate, offering a complete picture of his pre-game and practice preparation.
Ask those who watch Dustin Wolf closely what makes him such a good goalie and the first answers invariably start with a mixture of tracking, skating and edge work.
Wolf, who is currently up with the Calgary Flames after being named the top goalie in the AHL each of his first two seasons and league MVP last year, recently walked us through the routine he uses to get those edges — and his body — warmed up ahead of practice and on game days.
It starts with double skulls back and forth from one side of the rink to the other, then single-leg skulls, single-leg circles forward and backward, and finally a rotational skating move where he puts the blade of his stick in his glove and keeps his hands out in front of him.
“A little bit of everything,” Wolf explains in the video below. “I have been doing this warm up for 4-5 years now. Just kind of feeling your edges and making sure it’s all in one piece.”
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