Stars’ Oettinger motivated to be No. 1 goalie for U.S. at 4 Nations Face-Off

NEW YORK -- Jake Oettinger used the opportunity to make the United States' roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off as fuel for a strong first half of the NHL season.

"You always want to be considered one of the best at your position, especially in your country," the Dallas Stars goalie said. "I felt my body of work was good and I thought if I got off to a great start to the year I would have a chance. A big part of my motivation was to make the team."

He did. Oettinger was one of three goalies named to Team USA on Dec. 4 along with Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins.

Oettinger has since refueled and found a new motivation: to be named the starter for the United States in its tournament opener against Finland at Bell Centre in Montreal on Feb. 13 (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).

That one he knows is a longshot, but Oettinger is thinking big.

"I mean, the other two would be crazy if they didn't say the same thing," Oettinger said. "I know 'Helly' and 'Sway' obviously want to be in the net and there's only one net, which is a tough part about being a goalie. I'm just focusing on having a great stretch here now until then and if I get my opportunity to play in a game there then make them want to put me back in."

Hellebuyck is the favorite to be Team USA's No. 1 goalie at 4 Nations. He's earned it. It's deserved. He's having the best season of any goalie in the NHL with his 29 wins in 38 games, 2.02 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and six shutouts.

No one, not even Oettinger, argues against Hellebuyck's place atop the United States' goaltending depth chart.

"He's at the top of the mountain right now," Oettinger said. "That's where I want to be. I want to get my game to that level and be looked at like him."

He's not far off, which is why the goaltending decision U.S. coach Mike Sullivan will make before the tournament opener against Finland might not be as easy as it appears considering all the analysis, some of which goes back a few years.

Like Hellebuyck, Oettinger has also put up stellar numbers this season; 23 wins in 35 games, a 2.26 GAA, .914 save percentage and one shutout going into Dallas' national game against the Vegas Golden Knights at American Airlines Center on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN360).

Unlike Hellebuyck, Oettinger has played in and won big games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past three seasons, guiding the Stars to the Western Conference Final the past two seasons with two Game 7 wins.

The 26-year-old’s recent big-game experience mattered to U.S. team brass when they were selecting the team.

"He's young, he has not been in the League all that long, but he has played in a ton of big games, and he's delivered," U.S. general manager Bill Guerin told NHL.com. "Just his basic play is good enough, and then you put in the big-game experience, that's an added bonus."

Oettinger has started 45 games in the playoffs since 2022, winning 23, including going 7-3 in Games 6 and 7.

By contrast, Hellebuyck has started 10, going 2-0 in Game 1 and 0-8 in Games 2-5. Swayman has started 18, going 9-9.

Oettinger and Hellebuyck have each started 45 NHL playoff games in their NHL careers. Oettinger has a 2.46 GAA and .916 save percentage, Hellebuyck a 2.85 GAA and .911 save percentage. His best run came in 2017-18, when he went 9-8 to get the Jets to the Western Conference Final.

Swayman has a 2.38 GAA and .922 save percentage in his 18 playoff starts, but he's not having near the same type of regular season as Hellebuyck and Oettinger, which likely puts him at No. 3 on the depth chart at least going into the 4 Nations Face-Off.

"I think Helly has been on fire so far, but can Otter push Helly? Yes, of course he can," ESPN and NHL Network analyst and former NHL goalie Kevin Weekes told NHL.com. "Right now, Helly is a Vezina Trophy winner with the runner-up going to my boy Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals) and probably three would be Jacob Markstrom (New Jersey Devils). But can Otter be a starter? Can he push [Hellebuyck] for the starter? Sure. It's a short tournament and anything is possible. All those guys are capable."

Oettinger might not have been as capable at this time last season. He was just coming back from a groin injury he sustained on Dec. 15, 2023, that kept him out until Jan. 12 (12 games).

Prior to the injury, Oettinger was struggling to find his game, largely because he didn't have much time to train in the offseason because of ankle surgery. He was 11-7-2 with a 2.93 GAA and .901 save percentage before hurting his groin.

"Totally different first half of the season this year than last year," Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said. "He had a reason last year. He missed the summer with an injury and surgery, so he had the slow start. We kind of expected that. It was probably the first time in his career he's dealt with some serious adversity like that. I liked how he battled through and then he found his game in the playoffs for us when we needed him the most. Then he rolled that into this season."

Oettinger described the difference between last season and this season this way:

"Last year it was more, 'Hey, I want to work on this, but I also don't want to tweak my ankle,' " he said. "Now it's like, 'Hey, I want to work on this, let's go do it for an hour.' There's no holding back."

That drive has gotten him onto the roster. Next for Oettinger is the chance to play, if not against Finland than maybe against Canada in the United States' second game of the tournament.

Each team will play three games in the round-robin format with the top two reaching the championship game in Boston on Feb. 20.

Oettinger is fueled up for a run.

"If they say, 'Hey, you're playing,' then go in there, play great and make them want to play me again," Oettinger said. "That's the only thing I can focus on."

Music to Guerin's ears.

"That's exactly what we were looking for and that's what we knew we were going to get with this kid," he said. "We don't know. We don't know who is going to start. We don't know who is going to play Game 1. But we needed the guys who are going to have that exact attitude."