Jake Oettinger is a franchise player the Stars have been looking for. While Miro Heiskanen, Roope Hintz, Tyler Seguin, and Jamie Benn are considered franchise players, Oettinger is different. Goaltending is different from players who skate around the ice. They have to be mentally strong while having quick reflexes to make saves. It can take a beating on someone throughout an 82-game season plus playoffs. Oettinger has been the goaltender the Stars have been looking for after Ben Bishop's injury.
Oettinger was down in Cedar Park until Braden Holtby got hurt and was called up to back up Anton Khudobin. After some terrible starts by Khudobin, Rick Bowness put Oettinger between the pipes, and the rest was history. Oettinger quickly became a fan favorite and earned respect from fans around the league after losing to the Calgary Flames three seasons ago. Little did Oettinger know he would be signing a massive extension in 2025 to become the franchise goaltender of the Dallas Stars.
One of Pete DeBoer's key goals coming into this season was starting Oettinger in 50-55 games. Little did DeBoer know Casey DeSmith would come down with the flu and have to put that plan in jeopardy. As of right now, before the Vegas game tonight, Oettinger has played 36 games this season. I wouldn't be surprised if game 37 was tonight against a tough Vegas squad. The 50-55 games plan is still in range, but they need to clinch their playoff spot first.
Oettinger's performance during the "fludemic" that hit the team is why the Stars are in second place by a couple of points over the Minnesota Wild. He has come up clutch down the stretch, which is why the Stars aren't outside the playoffs looking in. After Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment's injuries, fans were concerned if Oettinger could handle the possible decrease in offense due to the injuries. Oettinger kept the Stars within reach during some games, which allowed them to steal points from other teams.
When people look back at this season, they will wonder how the Stars were able to keep their playoff spot with Seguin and Marchment out for some time. The one player who will stand out is Oettinger. He is a goaltender willing to play every game on the schedule and is prepared to do so. Even though he's had some stinkers this season, Oettinger has carried this team on his back over this challenging stretch. It's why the Stars are still in the playoffs and not positioning themselves for a top draft pick.
Hintz and others have also helped this season. Jim Nill built this team so that the offense wouldn't dramatically drop off if one or two players were out of the lineup. However, when fans look back at how the Stars stayed in a playoff spot with all that went on this season, Oettinger will stick out looking at the team's stats. The reason is Oettinger is the Stars' last line of defense. When Oettinger makes saves like he did at the end of the previous game against Vegas, the Stars still have a shot to make the playoffs this season.
Not one, but TWO‼️ INCREDIBLE SAVES to end the game.
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 25, 2025
THAT'S. OUR. OTTER. 👏🦦@NationalLife | #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/qx6BnIcRf4