Oettinger thriving with Stars, eyes No. 1 goalie job for U.S. at Olympics

NEW YORK -- Jake Oettinger had never felt that way before a game.

"It felt like the biggest game of my career," the Dallas Stars goalie said.

It wasn't. It couldn't be.

Oettinger has played in a Game 7 four times in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But on this night, Feb. 17 at TD Garden in Boston, he was getting set to play for the United States against Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off, certainly a massive event but a game without meaning beyond national pride.

The U.S. had already won against Finland and Canada to clinch a berth in the championship game. Sweden was already eliminated from a chance to play for the championship.

"That game meant nothing, and I never felt that way," Oettinger said. "Just that warmups, you're skating around and you're like, 'This feels like Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final,' and it's technically an exhibition game against Sweden.

“That just shows you how much it means to me to get a chance to play for my country, and hopefully I get a chance to do it again."

If all goes to plan, Oettinger will, on a way bigger stage, be wearing Team USA's red, white and blue in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. He is a favorite to be one of three goalies selected to the team by USA Hockey later this month.

Explore NHL.com's Coverage of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

At this point, he is arguably the favorite to be the United States' No. 1 goalie going into the Olympics with Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets still recovering from knee surgery he had Nov. 22. Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie and the Hart Trophy as its most valuable player last season. He was Team USA's No. 1 in the 4 Nations Face-Off, playing three of the four games, including the championship game against Canada, a 3-2 overtime loss.

Hellebuyck is nearing a return, which could put him back in line to win the No. 1 job. But he’s out of the picture for another few weeks, providing Oettinger a chance to continue to steal some of the spotlight.

Oettinger, who turns 27 on Dec. 18, is 14-4-2 with two shutouts, a 2.49 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in 20 games this season. He is 7-1-0 with a 1.87 GAA and .929 save percentage since Nov. 15, when Hellebuyck last played a game for the Jets.

And Oettinger will get a chance to showcase himself in front of the U.S. general manager Bill Guerin on Thursday, when the Stars visit the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, Victory+). Guerin is also the Wild's GM.

"He's shown it over the years, especially when we've been in big games, he always rises," Stars injured forward Tyler Seguin told NHL.com. "I think he'd be a perfect fit for that big moment on that (Olympic) stage. Still a younger guy and he has the swagger to take on those big, bright lights. I think he'd be excellent."

To Seguin's point, Oettinger has been at his best for Dallas when the pressure is the highest; he is 32-30 with a 2.56 GAA and .913 save percentage in 65 playoff games, and even better in his four Game 7s (3-1, 1.65 GAA, .950 save percentage).

Oettinger's lone Game 7 loss was also his best Game 7 performance. He made 64 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on May 15, 2022.

"We have seen it in the playoffs, he's really good when there is pressure," Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen said. "You can trust him in every situation."

Oettinger doesn't hide how badly he wants to play for the U.S. in the Olympics.

"It would be the coolest thing I've ever done," he said.

He's trying to not let the chance at making that dream come true consume his every thought, as hard as that may be for a player who knows his chance is very real and how important of a player he could be for the U.S. in Milan.

"I think you've got to put it in the backseat and focus on what you have ahead of you," Oettinger said. "Then, once that time comes, you can really dive in. I just think if I play like I know I can then hopefully I get a chance to get an opportunity to be on that team and see what happens from there."

Oettinger also admitted that this season has been different in how he analyzes opponents, particularly their top players. He does it with the Olympics in mind.

"Yeah, you try to put yourself maybe in the head space of visually what it would be like just so you can prepare a little bit," he said. "Maybe guys you know will be over there you can pick up tendencies more now, like what's (Edmonton Oilers center Connor) McDavid doing, what's (Colorado Avalanche center Nathan) MacKinnon doing, these guys that you hopefully get a chance to play against over there, so you can kind of take info and try to better prepare yourself.

“But I think until you get over there and you have a USA jersey on and you're playing in the Olympics, I don't think you can really replicate it."

He learned that in a 4 Nations Face-Off game that had no bearing on the outcome of the tournament.

Imagine the feeling he'd have in the Olympics.

"I mean, (the 4 Nations) was, like, you know, a pee-wee tournament compared to how cool the Olympics I think is going to be," Oettinger said. "It just means that much more. The fact of how good that hockey was at the 4 Nations, how fast it was, how big the stage felt, and it was, like, for nothing -- not an Olympic gold medal at least. It just showed me how cool that is and just how awesome it is that guys are back playing best-on-best."