Since being drafted in 2017, Jake Oettinger has proven to be a franchise cornerstone for the Stars, making him the Upper Deck homegrown player in Dallas.
Since being drafted in 2017, Jake Oettinger has proven to be a franchise cornerstone for the Stars, making him the Upper Deck homegrown player in Dallas.
In collaboration with Upper Deck, The Hockey News will be covering the best active homegrown player for each NHL team. Jake Oettinger has earned the nomination for the Dallas Stars, and here's why.
Oettinger was part of the 2017 draft that arguably turned the Stars franchise around without having to rebuild their team. That year, two other key players drafted by Dallas joined Oettinger in molding the future of the franchise. The Stars drafted Miro Heiskanen third overall after lucking out in the draft lottery, Oettinger went 26th overall, and Jason Robertson fell to the second round and was picked 39th overall. It is tough enough to land a top defenseman, goalie or forward in a draft class, but to draft all three in the same draft is almost unheard of.
Since that 2017 draft, the Stars scouting and drafting abilities have gone unmatched. The front office landed Thomas Harley in the middle of the first round, and found players like Wyatt Johnston, who missed crucial pre-draft seasons due to COVID, and Logan Stankoven, an undersized diamond in the rough who has fit in immediately in the NHL.
Looking back at Oettinger's resume, it's easy to see why the Stars chose him. Oettinger was born in Lakeville, Minnesota in 1998. In ninth grade, he played for Lakeville North High, where he played nine games and started to turn heads as someone with potential high end talent. In 2014-2015, he joined the US National Team Development Program, where he played for both their U17 and U18 teams. Oettinger played with other players who are now stars in the NHL, such as Auston Matthews, Adam Fox, Matthew Tkachuk, Clayton Keller and Tage Thompson.
He continued to play for variations of teams under the USNTDP until the 2016-2017 season when he started his college career at Boston University. In his first year in NCAA hockey, he played 35 games, recorded a goals-against average of 2.11 and a save percentage of .927%, and posted four shutouts. Oettinger ended up playing three seasons at Boston University before deciding to forego his senior year to play professionally. During his three years at BU, he climbed to third place on their all time leaderboard in goals-against average and finished second in save percentage.
During his time between the USNTDP and college, Oettinger also represented USA in the World Juniors Championship four times between 2015-2018, where he would win Gold in 2015 and 2017. But before his last appearance in the WJC in 2018, his draft year came up, and his future would be cemented.
25 people had been selected before the Chicago Blackhawks 26th pick was up, and all signs pointed to Chicago picking Oettinger. If they didn't, the Philadelphia Flyers were champing at the bit behind them, hoping he would still be available for them. But Stars General Manager Jim Nill had other plans in mind.
Nill decided the Stars couldn't wait any longer and traded the 29th pick, along with a third-round pick (70th overall), for Chicago's 26th pick. Soon, Oettinger was clad in victory green, and for the first time since drafting Jack Campbell in the first round, Dallas had a potential franchise altering goaltender.
After the draft, Oettinger was surprised it was Dallas who drafted him.
"I thought it was going to be Chicago honestly before they traded it,” he said. “I had a great relationship with their minor league goalie coach and he was saying ‘I’m going to do everything I can to have us pick you.’ But when Dallas traded up for me, I mean, it was the perfect spot.”
Oettinger was the first college-based goaltender to be taken first in his draft class since Al Montoya was taken sixth overall in 2004 by the New York Rangers. He was also the highest Minnesota-born goaltender ever selected in the NHL Draft.
After his third season at Boston University ended, Oettinger headed to Cedar Park, where he started his professional career with the Texas Stars on an amateur tryout. He finished the remainder of the 2018-2019 season with the team, and played six games. In March of 2019, Oettinger signed a three-year entry level contract with the Dallas Stars, and it wouldn't take long for him to get thrown into the big league. He played 38 games in his first full season in Cedar Park, and went 15-16-8.
In March of 2020, all professional hockey (and the world, for that matter) shut down due to COVID. When the NHL season resumed in the bubble, Oettinger was chosen to be a part of the taxi squad, which each team loaded with players since the AHL season never resumed after the COVID pause. When the Stars found themselves plagued with injuries while in the midst of a Stanley Cup run, Oettinger made his NHL debut in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights on September 8, 2020. He was the first rookie goalie since the expansion era to make his NHL debut in the playoffs.
His second ever game was in an even bigger spotlight. He relieved Anton Khudobin and played the third period in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sept. 23, 2020. He made three saves and did not allow a goal.
The next season, Oettinger spent his time solely on the Dallas Stars, splitting time with Khudobin in the shortened 2021 season. He played in 29 games, with a goals-against average of 2.36 and a save percentage of .911%. Since then, he has played the majority of his career in the NHL, really making a name for himself across the league in the playoff series against the Calgary Flames in the 2021-2022 season.
In Game 7 against the Flames, Oettinger stopped 64 of 67 shots he faced. He became the second goaltender to record 60+ shots in a Game 7 since 1955 (when shots on goal were first tracked), only behind Kelly Hrudey, who stopped 73 shots on goal in 1987.
In September of 2022, he signed a three year, $12 million contract with the Stars after a long negotiation.
"Jake's performance spoke for itself last season," said Nill. "He has elite physical ability and presence in the net, while also exhibiting phenomenal mental strength in high-pressure situations. Jake's poise and character off the ice have made him a leader in our locker room. He has shown that he has the skill, work ethic and poise to excel at the NHL level. He was a key part of the team's success last season, and we're excited to see him continue to grow here in Dallas."
Since then, Oettinger has been a pillar in the Stars organization. He solidified himself as the number one goalie and then as one of the best netminders in the league. He helped his team reach back-to-back Western Conference Final appearances, as well as win the Western Conference regular season title this past season. He also earned a trip to the 2024 All-Star Game with this elite play. However, what he contributes to the team doesn't stop at his play, as noted by Nill above.
Oettinger might only be 25 years old, but he has always been wise beyond his years. While speaking to 100 Degree Hockey in 2019, before he ever played in NHL game, Oettinger said, “I don’t think I’ll ever be a finished product. There’s little things I need to tweak, little things I’ve been focusing on in practice. I just want to play as many games as I can and get as much experience as I can. There will be ups and downs and that comes with the position. I’m just trying to soak everything in this year and prove that I can make the next step.”
The mental toughness that Oettinger displays has been one that takes years to master, and usually is only seen in the best veterans. It's an intangible that can't always be taught, but when athletes have it, it puts them a level above their peers. He has always been openly tough on himself, often being his biggest critic. However, when Oettinger says he needs to be better, nine times out of ten, the next outing, he is. During the past two seasons, Oettinger and the Stars have not lost three regular season games in a row without a point. His ability to move on and bounce back is critical for the team's long term success
Oettinger has accomplished so much in his short NHL career, and there is no doubt he will help lead his team to more success on and off the ice. This is why Upper Deck selected him as the Stars best active homegrown player.
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