The Dallas Stars return the same two goalies between the pipes for their 2025-26 season and hope some continuity can allow for both netminders to build on strong 2024-25 campaigns.
Jake Oettinger begins an eight-year, $66 million contract he signed almost a year ago, while Casey DeSmith enters the second year of his three-year deal to be Dallas’ backup.
Here is a look at the Stars’ goalies ahead of this season.
Returners: Casey DeSmith, Jake Oettinger
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Additions: None
Departures: None
Strengths
The goaltending position is one of Dallas’ greatest strengths, and it’s not just because Oettinger is a rising star at the position.
Dallas had one of the top goaltending tandems in the league last year, finishing the regular season with a 2.71 goals-against average (sixth in the NHL) and a .911 save percentage (fourth in the NHL).
Oettinger posted 36 wins in 58 starts with improved stats from the year prior, with a 2.59 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in 2024-25.
DeSmith was a welcome surprise for Dallas, winning 14 of his 24 starts and posting an impressive .915 save percentage. His steadiness allowed Oettinger to get some much-needed rest during a loaded schedule with the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The two are now reliable veterans capable of making timely saves and bailing out their teammates.
Weaknesses
The top weakness the Stars could face at goaltender this season is the challenge of the schedule.
Oettinger is expected to make Team USA as either the starter or backup for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. That means he won’t get the few weeks off most netminders will across the league in February.
Dallas is already being conscious about managing his starts. That means DeSmith may have to play a larger role in the regular season. If he can perform as he did last year, it shouldn’t be an issue for Dallas. But the Stars need that same production from their backup to avoid any drop off.
Question: Will Oettinger and Glen Gulutzan have a better relationship than Oettinger and Pete DeBoer?
A large part of the reason former Stars head coach Pete DeBoer was fired after last season was how he treated Jake Oettinger during and after Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.
DeBoer pulled his goaltender early in the final game of the season and proceeded to place much of the blame on him for losing to Edmonton yet again.
The organization did not like how DeBoer handled the situation, and it was one of the final straws leading to his exit.
The Stars brought in Glen Gulutzan to replace him, and his relationship with Oettinger could be important, especially in another deep playoff run.
Based on the preseason, it seems that Gulutzan is deferring most goaltending decisions to Jeff Reese, who returned as the Stars’ goaltending coach this year. Both Oettinger and DeSmith have strong relationships with Reese, so that dynamic should serve them well.
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