With Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith as the number 1 and 2 goaltenders on the Dallas Stars this upcoming season, the Stars made sure to solidify who their third-string goaltender would be if something were to happen to either goaltender at any point in the season. That's where Remi Poirier steps in and becomes that third-string goaltender for the Stars. Even though he didn't have that job title last season, it's official now that Magnus Hellberg signed to play overseas this season.
Poirier was signed to an extension this summer because of how well he played for the Texas Stars last season. He's a seasoned goaltender who can step in and help out at a moment's notice if Oettinger were to get sick or if DeSmith were to get injured. Even though Poirier is not at the level that both Oettinger and DeSmith play at, he's an excellent option to have if the Stars need a goaltender to fill in for a couple of games while either one gets better.
Poirier finished with a 17-11-2 record during the regular season last year. He was also 5-3 during the Calder Cup run the Texas Stars had last season before being eliminated by the eventual Calder Cup Champions. What I really want to see from Poirier this upcoming season is for him to be a dominant goaltender for the Texas Stars. I also want him to see him become a mentor for the backup goaltender, whoever wins that role during training camp next month.
While I don't see Poirier playing in the prospect tournament the Stars are hosting next month, don't be surprised if he gets a lot of time during the preseason games. The Stars might as well keep Oettinger and DeSmith as healthy as possible while the younger goaltenders get all the playing time except for the last preseason game. Poirier has earned his promotion to the third-string goaltender this offseason. Hopefully, this will motivate him to become the backup goaltender when Casey DeSmith's contract is up in a couple of seasons.