Forging a foundation: How Jake Oettinger is preparing for a season filled with potential

Jake Oettinger has constructed a foundation that’s pretty much five feet of concrete.

Now, it’s time to build the mansion on top.

Oettinger will turn 26 in December, but already has 194 regular season games under his belt and another 47 in the playoffs. That sort of experience and maturity makes him a rare athlete in the NHL.

“I think he’s definitely arrived at that elite status quicker than a lot of guys,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “But you’re still looking for that Stanley Cup. That’s what defines all great players.”

Oettinger has a lot on his plate this season. He would love to represent Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-off in February. He would love to get a contract extension signed as his current one expires at the end of the season. And, of course, he would love to help the Stars win the Stanley Cup. But instead of pressure, the Minnesota native sees it as an opportunity.

“All I can focus on is playing my best,” Oettinger said. “If I can play my best, then hopefully I can get a spot on that team. But that’s a long way away and I’ve got a lot of hockey to play.”

Oettinger’s experience has helped forge a strong mental strength and also a calm patience that’s crucial for a goalie. He had ankle surgery in the summer of 2023, and that affected his offseason training and his play on the ice last season. After posting some of the best numbers in the NHL in 2022-23 with a 2.35 GAA and .919 save percentage, Oettinger saw his stats get a little less shiny at 2.72 and .904. That was a challenge, but also a learning experience.

“I had some great moments, but I also had a tough stretch,” Oettinger said. “I think I learned a lot there. I know that if I can do some things to limit those bad stretches – and you’re going to have them – then I can get through that.”

Asked if the statistical drop bothered him, Oettinger said yes.

“Every guy wants to have good numbers,” he said. “I want to be at the top of the league in the numbers category. That is important to me. I think if you put in the work, if you strive for consistency, I do think the numbers will be there. It’s not my number one goal, but there is a standard that I hold myself to and I want to be there at the top.”

Stars goalie coach Jeff Reese said that playing in almost 250 NHL games has shaped Oettinger as a goalie and as a person.

“He knows he can play, he knows he can be the guy, he’s been through the ups and downs and he knows how to handle that,” Reese said. “He’s got the experience to fall back on, and you can see that.”

Oettinger is a bit of a unicorn. At 6-6, 224, he is a unique athlete. He’s also quick and smart, which is one of the reasons he was a first round draft pick (26th overall in 2017) out of Boston University.

“He really is the whole package,” Reese said. “He’s big, he’s athletic, he loves to play, he wants to be the guy. He’s got that mental toughness.”

That toughness has been built over the years. Oettinger played two seasons in the U.S. National Development Program, three seasons at Boston University and one season for the Texas Stars in the AHL. That run – and a trip to the COVID bubble in Edmonton in 2020 where he was a part of the Stars group that went to the Stanley Cup Final – helped Oettinger force his way into the role of No. 1 goalie at age 23. He had a huge performance in the First Round against Calgary in 2022 with a 1.81 GAA and .954 save percentage in what would be a seven-game series, and he has been among the NHL’s top goalies ever since.

Now, he wants to get over the next hurdle. That could start with making the Team USA roster for 4 Nations. It could continue with a longer playoff run. It could get tied in a bow with a nice contract extension next summer. But that’s a lot for any player – especially the mentally challenging position of goalie – to carry around.

“He’s got a really unflappable personality,” said DeBoer. “He just goes about his business, he prepares himself and you never see those distractions bother him. I think the adversity he’s gone through in the last 12 months coming off the injury, working his way through those setbacks, I think that’s made him stronger.”

Reese put it this way, “If anybody can do it, it’s him.”

Oettinger understands the pressure, and he also sees the opportunity. And while you can definitely stumble into some dark places when you’re in a position to carry the hopes and dreams of an entire hockey community – or a nation – the best way to deal with that is to simply enjoy the ride.

“I like playing, it’s fun,” he said. “That’s how I look at it.”

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.