The Battle of Alberta? There’s nothing like it. The intensity, the noise from the crowd, the history—from brutal fights on the ice to gut-wrenching playoff moments—it’s the kind of rivalry that lives and breathes in Western Canada. And heading into the 2025–26 season, fans won’t be disappointed. The tension feels sharper, more personal, like the stakes are higher than ever.
The Edmonton Oilers are built to win now. The Calgary Flames? They’re climbing, younger, hungry—and ready to throw punches.
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This season, the spotlight isn’t just on the usual stars. It’s on the two guys between the pipes: Stuart Skinner and Dustin Wolf. If either team wants to claim the 2025–26 Battle of Alberta title, it might come down to who performs better in the crease.
Dustin Wolf: Calgary’s Steady Rise
Flames fans have been cautiously optimistic about Wolf for years. Now, finally, they’ve got reason to believe. Last season, the 24-year-old proved he’s the real deal. In 53 starts, Wolf posted a 2.64 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage—solid numbers, especially given how much pressure he faced.
Calgary was one of the league’s lowest-scoring teams, meaning every game Wolf played was tight. There was no margin for error, yet he delivered the goods. What stood out wasn’t just the stats. It was how he carried himself. No panic, no noise—just calm goaltending. He tracked the puck well, stayed positionally sound, and didn’t let bad goals snowball into bad games.
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By season’s end, he had earned a spot on the NHL’s All-Rookie Team and was in the Calder Trophy discussion—a rare feat for a goaltender these days. In 2025–26, if he can bring his cool edge into the fire of the Battle of Alberta games, he could be Calgary’s X-factor.
Stuart Skinner: Still Searching for Stability
Meanwhile, in Edmonton, Skinner remains one of the NHL’s most significant question marks in goal. He has the size, the athleticism, and the résumé of a capable starter. However, last season revealed a troubling pattern: periods of brilliance were followed by puzzling dips in form.
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