Oettinger signs 8-year, $66 million contract with Stars

Jake Oettinger signed an eight-year, $66 million contract with the Dallas Stars on Thursday. The contract, which will begin next season, has an average annual value of $8.25 million.

The 25-year-old goalie, who could have become a restricted free agent after this season, is in the final season of a three-year, $12 million contract ($4 million AAV) he signed with Dallas on Sept. 1, 2022.

"Just so excited and happy to know where I'm going to be for the foreseeable future," Oettinger said. "I couldn't be more honored to have them believe in me like that, and the way (Stars general manager) Jim (Nill) treated me since I became a Dallas Star has been first class, and can't say enough great things about the way everything went down. Just really happy to be here."

Oettinger is 3-0-0 with a 1.63 goals-against average, .948 save percentage and one shutout this season for the Stars (4-1-0). He and Casey DeSmith had back-to-back shutouts in victories against the New York Islanders (3-0) and Seattle Kraken (2-0) at American Airlines Center on Oct. 12-13.

Oettinger, who was selected by the Stars in the first round (No. 26) of the 2017 NHL Draft, is 187-116-48 with a 2.49 GAA, .914 save percentage and 11 shutouts in 196 regular-season games (187 starts). He is also 23-22 with a 2.46 GAA, .916 save percentage and two shutouts in 47 Stanley Cup Playoff games (45 starts), helping Dallas advance to the Western Conference Final in 2023 and 2024.

"Critical," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said when asked about Oettinger's importance. "I think we all know the importance of solid goaltending, and he's given us that in my entire time here. Just a sense of calm, and the other thing you get from him is leadership. He's not that goalie that just kind of does his own thing in the goalie department and then shows up and plays. He's a big part of our group. He's got great leadership qualities. Every year he's growing and adding and getting better. I like that he's been at his best at the toughest time of year in the playoffs.”

Since the 2020-21 NHL season, Oettinger ranks in the top 10 in wins (116, sixth) and GAA (2.49, seventh) among active goalies who have played at least 50 regular-season games. He also is tied for 11th in save percentage (.914) and tied for 13th in shutouts (11), and his 23 playoff wins since 2022 are tied with Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers for the second-most by any goalie.

"He's a big part of our team," Nill said. "He's part of our foundation, one of our younger guys. He's 25 years old, and to know that he's around for the next eight years just kind of solidifies that position.

"He loves it in Dallas. He's been drafted by Dallas, developed by us. He's a big part in the dressing room, big part in the community, so both parties wanted to get a deal done. When I talked to (Oettinger's agent) Ben (Hankinson), I said, 'Ben, I don't want this to drag on. I don't want this to be something that goes on for six weeks.' I always worry about the player. You want the player just playing hockey, and Ben agreed and it came together pretty quick.”

NHL.com staff writer Tom Gulitti contributed to this report.