With dwindling cap space, the Dallas Stars are in a precarious position if they'd want to add any additional players to their roster. While the team looks positionally deep on paper, there are questions to be had between the crease.
Starting goaltender Jake Oettinger has been a bonafide starting goaltender over the past three seasons, taking on a heavy workload, averaging 77 games over the span between regular season and playoffs.
So far, Oettinger has been blessed with minimal injuries and ailments, however with such a heavy workload, you'd have to come to expect some wear and tear eventually.
Backup goaltender Casey DeSmith proved his weight in gold, posting a bounceback .915 save percentage through 27 games in his first season in Dallas. Furthermore, he's shown to be capable when given the reins in Pittsburgh when Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry battled injuries before.
The real question is, do they have a guy who can step up to play that third string role?
Outside of Oettinger and DeSmith, the team has three other goaltenders contract for next season, and neither of them seem to be suitable fits for a call up as of yet.
Remi Poirier, who turns 24 in October, has spent the last two seasons playing on the back half of a tandem with the AHL's Texas Stars. While he did lead the team in save percentage, it was only with a .906. Given his lack of starting playing time in his professional career so far, it can be argued that even if he is viewed as a guy who is worthy of a potential call up, it may be better for his development to have that full season as a starter.
Ben Kraws is currently slotted as fourth on the depth chart. He's coming off of a 40 game season with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL, posting a formidable .910 save percentage. There's really no question that the 25-year-old netminder, who has played just seven AHL games so far, should be ready for the jump to the AHL, however he's hardly shown himself to be a candidate should an injury come up.
The final option? Goaltending prospect Arno Tiefensee. Tiefensee, 23, has shown some promise—notching a .912 save percentage over 29 games in the German DEL. However, once again, he doesn't quite fit the bill.
Should the team target a potential third stringer goaltender, who should they target? Well as of right now, the options are very limited.
James Remier, a veteran of 500 NHL games, could be an inticing option. The 37-year-old had an .896 save percentage over 24 games between Buffalo and Anaheim. However, he may also be an unrealistic target for Dallas' circumstances as if he signs in Dallas and subsequently ends up on waivers, he'll likely get claimed.
Georgi Romanov could be a younger option at just 25-years-old. The 6-foot-5 netminder already has 10 games of NHL experience with the San Jose Sharks over the past two seasons, albeit amassing an .888 save percentage through that span. His last five games in the NHL were particularily solid, posting a .902 on a poor San Jose Sharks team. Plus, given his lack of resume, he could likely go unclaimed if waived and perhaps even get signed on a league minimum deal, too.
Overall, if the Stars look to add a goaltender, Romanov would be the guy. However, given Oettinger's streak of good health, it's also understandable to see why the Stars might roll with Poirier as their 'first man up' should anything go wrong.
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