Jake Oettinger’s fourth year in the NHL was a tale of two seasons.
Coming off offseason ankle surgery, Oettinger wasn’t at his best through the first four months of the season.
His .900 save percentage and 3.04 goals-against average were the worst of his career. He also missed nearly a month between December and January with a separate groin injury.
But as the playoffs neared, Oettinger hit his stride again, reaching the level that was expected of him when the season began.
“The last 15 games of the regular season, I think I got back to playing like I know I can play, and a lot of it had to do with the stuff I talked with [Stars goalie coach Jeff Reese] and the work I did with him and some changes I made,” Oettinger said. “I kind of got the hang of what I wanted to work on and put it into my game and saw the results, which was really rewarding.”
Oettinger had a 19-5 record, .911 save percentage and 2.39 goals-against average through the last three months of the regular season — among the best in the league. In the playoffs, that improved further to a .915 save percentage and 2.24 goals-against average through 19 starts. It was a significant step up from Oettinger’s playoff numbers during the 2023 Western Conference final run.
“I think playoffs can wash away a regular season, good or bad,” he said. “You want to play your best in the playoffs for your teammates, and I felt like I gave my team a chance to win.”
The 2024-25 season was a rollercoaster for Oettinger, as he battled injuries and performance struggles unlike any he had faced in his career.
While at times it was the hardest season of his career, reflecting back on it, Stars coach Pete DeBoer believes it was also the most important yet.
“I’m really proud of him,” DeBoer said. “I think he’s going to be better for it. It’s something that every pro goes through, especially pro goalies, so it was almost a necessity to feel what that felt like, how I got myself out of it. I’m just really proud of how he dug in and got himself back upright, and I thought he was great in the playoffs.”
Oettinger’s playoff performance allowed him to end on a high note and wash away some of the bad memories from earlier in the season.
The goalie enters the offseason healthy, unlike last year. He’ll be able to focus on taking his game to the next level and getting married, as his wedding is planned for this summer.
But both Oettinger and DeBoer believe that by the time training camp rolls around, he’ll be at his strongest — not just physically, but for all that he’s had to overcome.
“I have so much stuff I want to get better at and so much room to grow still, and I think I’m pretty close to getting my game to where I know it can be,” Oettinger said. “I think with a great summer in the gym and on the ice I’ll be able to do that next year. I just want next season to start already.”
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