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3 reasons why the Dallas Stars will win the Stanley Cup
The Dallas Stars have advanced to their second Western Conference finals in the past four seasons. Dallas will face the top seed, the Vegas Golden Knights.
To get there, the Stars knocked off the Minnesota Wild in six games and overcame a motivated Seattle Kraken team in seven.
Here are three reasons why the Dallas Stars will win the 2023 Stanley Cup
#1. The real Jake Oettinger
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger has been far from his best so far in the postseason.
Oettinger was inconsistent in the first-round series against Minnesota. In Game 1, he completely shut the door with a .938 save percentage. But the 24-year-old followed that up with two poor performances, two of the first three resulting in losses for Dallas. But when his team needed him most, Oettinger stepped up.
In Games 4, 5 and 6, Oettinger went 3-0, allowing three total goals and finishing with a combined .966 save percentage. However, the second round was a totally different story.
In seven games against the Kraken, Oettinger was pulled twice. He recorded his worst statistical performance in Game 3 as well as his shortest career start in Game 6. The young netminder did bounce back, playing excellent hockey in games 5 and 7.
The hockey world knows that Oettinger is capable of far more, just look at his performance in last year's playoffs if you need proof. Oettinger is at his best when the pressure is highest. Expect him to be back to his usual self against Vegas.
#2 This team is built differently
In last year's playoffs, Dallas put nearly all of the pressure on the shoulders of Oettinger. If he could steal game, they had a chance. But even when he put up all-time numbers (64 saves in Game 7), the Stars often could not score enough to earn him the deserved victory. This year is different.
Despite the up-and-down play from their netminder, Dallas has thrived. That is because the Stars are built like a championship team.
The Stars have elite goaltending, one of the best defensemen in the game in Miro Heiskanen; at least two, if not three superstars in Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski that make up the best line in hockey. They also have a steady group of veterans led by Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin and a young core that has taken over the load of offensive production.
They have an even younger group that has only begun to get its feet wet like Wyatt Johnston and Thomas Harley, and a veteran coach that has been there before.
To put it simply, they have everything needed to win a Stanley Cup.
#3 Jamie Benn
Ever since Dallas fell in Game 6 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, captain Jamie Benn has had a different look in his eyes. Being around the team, it is obvious that he is on a mission.
Now with a resurgence in his offensive game, the veteran winger has developed Wyatt Johnston, brought a team together, and helped facilitate the blend of dominant defensive hockey with speed and skill between coaching staffs.
The result is a very dangerous team led by a very motivated Jamie Benn.
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