Midterm Report Card: Goaltender
Grade: B+
Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith have been the saving grace of this team in the first half of the season. There are games where the Stars could have been entirely out of a game, and both have kept the Stars in the game. Oettinger deserved that eight-year contract extension. That is one position the Stars won't have to worry about for the next decade. DeSmith is proving to be another home-run signing for Nill as well.
The one thing I'm concerned about midway through the season is the number of games Oettinger has played. The Stars did a good job limiting his number of starts last season, which helped them reach the Western Conference Finals for a second consecutive year. While DeSmith getting the flu in December wasn't expected, I knew the Stars wouldn't start Magnus Hellburg with some of his shaky play in Cedar Park.
In the second half of the season, the Stars need to limit the amount of starts Oettinger gets. If they are playing in the NHL Draft lottery, start DeSmith. If the Stars take on a playoff team like the Winnipeg Jets, start Oettinger. I would, instead, Oettinger be prepared for the playoff teams rather than the teams in the top 15 of the draft.
Overall, it was a good first half of the regular season. While the Stars had their good moments, there were a fair share of bad moments. I think the Stars are finding their rhythm at the right time with the top of the Central Division this season. Nill has put together a team that can compete for the Stanley Cup despite the team's average age. It's up to the team whether they want to compete for a playoff spot and the Stanley Cup in the second half of the season.