Jake Oettinger has back-to-back shutouts. But that says even more about the Dallas Stars than it does about Oettinger’s recent success.
On Thursday, the Stars shut out the Buffalo Sabres 4-0, coming on the heels of a 5-0 shutout win over the San Jose Sharks. For a team that was shut out 4-0 in its season opener vs. the St. Louis Blues, the Stars have enjoyed a remarkable early-season turnaround.
Oettinger is a big part of that. But a deeper dive shows the Stars’ overall defensive play has been the deciding factor. Dallas has allowed two goals in its past three games. In the season’s second contest, backup Casey DeSmith got the nod over Oettinger, and he enjoyed stellar play in the net, with the Stars giving up just 26 shots.
In the other three games, Dallas allowed 24 vs. St. Louis, 13 vs. San Jose, and 26 against Buffalo. Do the math, and that’s just 22.25 shots allowed, on average, in the first four games.
Jake Oettinger Has Been Part Of An Outstanding Dallas Stars Defense
In the season’s early going, Oettinger has a 2-1 record, a .967 save percentage, and a .67 GAA. His quality starts percentage is a perfect 1.000. But he faced just 61 shots all season, or 20.33 per game.
That further shows how well Dallas has played defensively early on. It also doesn’t matter what situation the Stars find themselves in. Dallas’ shorthanded unit has been solid, with an 83.3 penalty-kill percentage so far. The Stars have also done a good job of staying out of the penalty box, going shorthanded 12 times this season compared to the NHL average of 14.
When compared to the rest of the league, the Stars predictably rank at or in the top half of the NHL in several defensive categories.
Their six goals allowed are first in the NHL; they’re tied for 11th in power-play opportunities against, tied for 13th in penalty-kill percentage, tied for 13th in expected goals against, tied for first in actual goals against, tied for 12th in high-danger chances against, and sixth in percentage of high-danger goals against.
Stars Defense Must Stay Elite In A Rough Central Division
It’s still early, but the Central Division is proving to be one of the NHL’s toughest. The Winnipeg Jets are finding ways to win and taking defensive stands without Connor Hellebuyck. Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche boast the NHL’s top scoring unit heading into Friday’s slate of games.
The Utah Mammoth look like they’re building on their successful 2025-26 season, and the Minnesota Wild are deep enough to compete. The Nashville Predators are also hanging on, and they continue to be a mystery.
It indicates the Central may have enough talent to boast five playoff teams in an eight-team bracket. Should Nashville remain a threat, this could turn into a six-team race for the top three divisional and two wild card spots. That doesn’t count teams in the Pacific who will also push for a wild card.
Defense has been a clear strength for the Stars, and they must keep building on that strength while finding their groove offensively. Still, even showing an elite defense alone could be enough to catapult them back into the playoffs when April 2027 rolls around.
Jake Oettinger’s Shutout Streak Reveals a Bigger Stars Trend