That can be a lot for a young player to absorb, but coach Rick Bowness said Oettinger has done a great job.
"It's a lot, but it's also fun," Bowness said. "It's all part of the experience and you've got to go through it at least once. This is a great time for him, and he's earned the right to be here. His character, he's a real pro, a mature, mature kid."
Oettinger started seven straight games over the past two weeks, but when he was given the role of backup on Friday in Winnipeg, he stayed out late, helped his teammates practice and had a smile on his face the whole time.
"I always love staying out extra and keep getting better, so it's been really cool," Oettinger said.
The path to get to where he is has been excavated with a lot of diligence, so it's part of who he is right now. A native of Lakeville, Minnesota, Oettinger grew up in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area wanting to be a hockey player. He helped his high school team to the state championship tournament at Xcel Energy Center and then went off to play for the U.S. Development Team and then Boston University. He impressed Stars scouts so much, they moved up to draft him 26th overall in 2017, and he's been on a fast track since.
He joined the team in the playoff bubble in 2020, and then was pressed into duty last season when Ben Bishop was injured. He started this year in the minors as the Stars tried to sort through three veteran goalies in Bishop, Khudobin and Braden Holtby, and he simply kept providing coaches with a pathway to victories.
"The team, they have a lot of confidence in Jake right now, he's playing really well," Bowness said. "Like any pro, you get out there and you're playing well, and you want to keep playing. He's playing really well, he's feeling really good about himself, and when that happens you let them play."
That's what Oettinger is doing right now, all the while appreciating the experience. Yes, he's trying to keep things normal, but he also understands this isn't quite what he imagined. On Saturday at the Wild practice rink, Oetinger was taking shots from his seven-year-old brother Thomas after workouts.
"That's one of the times when it sinks in how cool it is," Oettinger said. "To have a little brother who loves hockey and can hopefully look up to me, it's just so fun. It doesn't really feel real."
On Sunday, he'll have a cheering section that understands just how much work it took to get here. Bowness said he didn't want to name his starter yet for the game, and Oettinger said he understands his position, so he'll just prepare himself and see what happens.
After all, this whole journey has been something of a trip.
"If you said five years ago, I would potentially be starting against the Wild, I don't know if I'd believe you," Oettinger said. "I've come a long way and been through a lot of stuff, so these are the trips that make all the work and all of the grind really worth it. To share it with the people that helped get you here is really what's most important."
Especially when they're dressed just right.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.
