Player Profile: Jake Oettinger

Name: Jake Oettinger

Number: 29

Age: 25

Birthplace: Lakeville, Minn

Height/Weight: 6-6, 224

2023-24 stats: 35-14-4, 2.72 GAA, .905 save percentage

Contract: In third year of three-year deal that has a salary cap hit of $4.0 million

Performance evaluation: It was a challenging season for Jake Oettinger. The big goalie missed significant time with a lower body injury and posted numbers some disappointing numbers throughout the year. Oettinger ranked 19th in goals against at 2.72 and 26^th in save percentage at .905. That was a decided drop from the 2.37 (7^th) and .919 (6^th) he posted the year before. But because the Stars produced more goals last season, Oettinger’s record was still solid at 35-14-4. Still, it was clear Oettinger was battling both physically and mentally to find his groove. The big thing for him was he improved significantly in the playoffs. Oettinger had a 10-9 post-season record in both 2022-23 and 2023-24, but his stats were markedly better. He had a 2.24 GAA and .915 save percentage this past season and was at 2.04 and .895 the year before. He avoided the wild swings from the year before and he was much better in key moments. That said, he still didn’t get the job done in the end and is very focused on learning from the experience.

Expectations for 2024-25: Jake Oettinger is just 25 years old, and he already has 113 regular-season wins. That’s eighth in franchise history, and he still might have a decade or more to go in his career. In addition, he has been on a Stars team that has gotten to the Western Conference Final in each of the past two seasons. That’s a great head start, because a lot of goalies are just getting their first season in as a No. 1 at this age. But now the key is, what does Oettinger do with that experience? He is an uber talented player with size (6-6, 224) and skill. The former first-round pick is considered among the elite at his position, and he takes that seriously. That said, he also puts a lot of pressure on himself, and he can be a victim of that. This is a big year for Oetinger. He is in the final year of his contract, so he has a chance to really make a case before he signs the biggest deal of his career. He also had to say goodbye to good friends Ty Dellandrea and Scott Wedgewood, who moved on in the offseason – just one more reminder that pro sports are a business. So that’s a lot for a young player to manage, but Oettinger has the experience to take another step forward. A big part of the Stars’ success will depend on 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 X (formerly Twitter) @MikeHeika.