Ottermania! How Jake Oettinger Turned a Struggling Stars Team Around

The Dallas Stars certainly had question marks in the net.

This was already known before the season started.

There are four capable goaltenders in the net, which includes Ben Bishop, who has spent all of his time since the 2020 playoffs dealing with an injury. However, despite Jake Oettinger being the youngest (whereas Ben Bishop, Anton Khudobin, and Braden Holtby are all long-time veterans), Oettinger has simply been the best goalie for the Stars. He’s also been the least injury-prone.

Especially when your team is treading around .500 hockey, tough decisions will have to be made, and risks need to be taken. You don’t make the playoffs without making tough decisions in this top-down, competitive league. It’s time to have Jake Oettinger as the number one goaltender.

The time for sending Jake Oettinger down to the Texas Stars to prove himself is long past over.

Head Coach Rick Bowness recently decided who the number one goalie is in Big D.

Before Black Friday’s tilt vs. the Colorado Avalanche, Bones made it known he likes otter between the pipes, praising the young netminder.

“He’s very calm in the net, and he’s reading the play very well, his anticipation is right on, no rebounds, he’s swallowing pucks, he’s right on top of his game,” Bowness said.

Jake Oettinger, regardless of if he’s playing in Dallas or the minors with the American Hockey League Texas Stars, stays on an even keel. Continuing to stockpile impressive stats and not let any transitions affect his play or get to his head. Oettinger, of course, would instead be playing in Dallas.

As he chimed in on the Stars’ goalie situation, he kept his take straightforward.

“As a goalie, even if you play well, it’s nice to get back in there, but especially if you don’t play well,” Oettinger said. “I was playing pretty much every game down there. To just get the opportunity to know you’re playing all the time was really good for me.

“I think that’s the biggest thing I need, just more and more games. Obviously, practice is practice. But that’s where I think I’m going to get the most work done is by just keep getting games and getting more comfortable.”

Injuries and even illness have also been problems amongst the Stars’ goaltending group. The most obvious injury issues have been with Ben Bishop in his five seasons in Dallas. His most productive season with the Stars was in 2019. Luck hasn’t been on Big Ben’s side since then.

Anton Khudobin and Braden Holtby have battled illness and injuries, respectively as well so far this season. They’re both also in their thirties. While this fact is not a knock against the play or a person of these three goalies in the competitive sports world, it is, as they say; a business. Jake Oettinger is young, healthy, and playing a winning man’s game.

Members of the Dallas Stars’ media team are calling for Jake Oettinger to be a full-time starter in the net, too. They see the same thing Stars fans are.

When you see guys who are playing at their best, you give them more ice time. All things aside, Oettinger has been the best guy between the pipes.