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Lessons for Jake Oettinger: What the Stars goaltender can learn from 2023 playoffs
Jake Oettinger began his Stanley Cup Playoffs career with one of the best goaltending series in NHL history. After recording a 1.81 goals-against average, .954 save percentage and 64 saves in Game 7, Oettinger and the Stars finally fell to the Calgary Flames. It was the debut of a lifetime.
In the 2023 playoffs, Oettinger was expected to shine again, but fell short.
In three rounds, Oettinger allowed over three goals per game and finished with a .894 save percentage, middle-of-the-pack numbers. Oettinger also had his worst statistical game and the two shortest starts of his career during the Dallas Stars' playoff run. It hurt the Stars chances and nearly ended their season in Round 2.
However, in Round 1 and for chunks of the Western Conference finals, Oettinger sparkled. It was an up-and-down experience that will provide plenty of lessons for a 24-year-old netminder who has a long career ahead of him.
"It was definitely a learning experience," Oettinger said. "I think I learned a lot about myself, but I had the time of my life."
Jake Oettinger is the Stars' starting goaltender and will be for a while. With each passing start, each season and especially, each postseason, he will only get better.
Learning to handle the ups and downs of 82 games and a long playoff run can prove invaluable later in a career. Playing on a Dallas Stars team that is right in the middle of a championship window, each of these lessons could be the difference in bringing home a second Stanley Cup to Texas.
"I think I'm just getting started," Oettinger said. "I have so much room for growth in every area of my game. Goaltending is like, you can't perfect it, but the exciting part is you can always get better. I have a ton of work that I need to do, and I want to do, and I'm excited to do it."
Now, Oettinger can take the next step.
Jake Oettinger will take lessons of balance and recovery into 2023 offseason
For him, that means finding ways not to lose steam. Playing 61 games is a lot for any goaltender, especially in today's much faster NHL. But Jake Oettinger knows that most elite netminders find ways to be successful for 60+ starts and a long postseason. Andrei Vasilevskiy is a perfect example.
"It's a lot of games but that's what I want to be doing," Oettinger said. "I want to be a guy like Vasilevskiy, who can play 65 games, go on a long Stanley Cup run, and then reset and do it again year after year. That's the gold standard, and that's what I want to be. I think I'm on my way there."
In order to be one of the best, Jake Oettinger will work on balancing recovery with the everyday life of an NHL goalie. It starts with the offseason.
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