Stars’ Oettinger, DeBoer dismiss concerns about working relationship
Even though they have yet to talk since being eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer and goaltender Jake Oettinger don’t seem overly concerned about their working relationship moving forward. Facing elimination against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final on Thursday, DeBoer made a controversial decision to pull Oettinger early in the first period after the star netminder gave up two goals on two shots. Asked about his decision after the game, DeBoer didn’t exactly give a glowing endorsement of his starting goaltender after the dust settled on their season-ending loss. “I didn’t blame it all on Jake, but the reality is, if you go back to last year’s playoffs, he’s lost six of seven games to Edmonton. And we gave up two goals on two shots in an elimination game,” DeBoer said post-game. “It was partly to spark our team and wake them up. And partly knowing that status quo had not been working, and that’s a pretty big sample size.” /* if ( "1" == true && 'undefined' !== typeof window.getIndexAds ) { var so = {preroll:{1:{1:{siteID:191888},2:{siteID:191889}}}}; adServerUrl = window.getIndexAds( 'http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6373635850112&cmsid=384', so, permalink); } else { adServerUrl = "http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6373635850112&cmsid=384"; } */ adServerUrl = "http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6373635850112&cmsid=384"; /* var adServerUrl_result = adServerUrl.includes("cust_params"); var queryString=''; if(adServerUrl_result){ var gettheDUFI = false; if (localStorage.getItem("consent") !== null && localStorage.getItem("consent-targeting") !== null) gettheDUFI = localStorage.getItem("theRED_loc"); if(gettheDUFI){ queryString += "dufiid=" + gettheDUFI + '&'; queryString += "ppid=" + gettheDUFI + '&'; var ppid = "ppid=" + gettheDUFI + '&'; } var DUFI_IP = false; if (localStorage.getItem("consent") !== null && localStorage.getItem("consent-targeting") !== null) DUFI_IP = sessionStorage.getItem("DUFI_IP"); if(DUFI_IP){ queryString += "dufiip=" + DUFI_IP + '&'; } adServerUrl = adServerUrl.replace(/cust_params=/, ppid + 'cust_params=' + encodeURIComponent(queryString) ); } */ $el.after( unescape("%3Cscript src=\"" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\" %3E%3C/script%3E") ); $( document ).one( 'ready', function() { $( "#video_container-190159" ).SNPlayer( { bc_account_id: "1704050871", bc_player_id: "JCdte3tMv", //autoplay: true, //is_has_autoplay_switch: false, bc_videos: 6373635850112, is_has_continuous_play: "false", adserverurl: adServerUrl, section: "", thumbnail: "https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/6373635850112-1024x576.jpg", direct_url: "https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/big-sample-size-stars-deboer-details-decision-to-pull-oettinger/" }); }); DeBoer’s blunt assessment of Oettinger left many to wonder if a change in the Dallas crease was inevitable. But it appears time, specifically two days, has healed all wounds. “No one is a bigger fan of Jake Oettinger than me, as a person or a goalie,” DeBoer told reporters at the team’s end-of-season availability on Saturday, while also confirming that he and Oettinger haven’t had a chance to talk since Game 5. “… I think Jake is the best young goaltender in the league. But that doesn’t mean there’s not a learning curve and growth. And that’s all part of the journey.” DeBoer also said that the coaching staff debated starting backup Casey DeSmith in Game 4 against the Oilers because of Oettinger’s heavy workload in the playoffs and the fact that he was dealing with an upper-respiratory issue. Speaking Saturday for the first time since the Game 5 loss, Oettinger didn’t use the sickness as an excuse. “I’d rather be sick than what some of these guys are going th
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Even though they have yet to talk since being eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer and goaltender Jake Oettinger don’t seem overly concerned about their working relationship moving forward.
Facing elimination against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final on Thursday, DeBoer made a controversial decision to pull Oettinger early in the first period after the star netminder gave up two goals on two shots.
Asked about his decision after the game, DeBoer didn’t exactly give a glowing endorsement of his starting goaltender after the dust settled on their season-ending loss.
“I didn’t blame it all on Jake, but the reality is, if you go back to last year’s playoffs, he’s lost six of seven games to Edmonton. And we gave up two goals on two shots in an elimination game,” DeBoer said post-game.
“It was partly to spark our team and wake them up. And partly knowing that status quo had not been working, and that’s a pretty big sample size.”
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DeBoer’s blunt assessment of Oettinger left many to wonder if a change in the Dallas crease was inevitable.
But it appears time, specifically two days, has healed all wounds.
“No one is a bigger fan of Jake Oettinger than me, as a person or a goalie,” DeBoer told reporters at the team’s end-of-season availability on Saturday, while also confirming that he and Oettinger haven’t had a chance to talk since Game 5.
“… I think Jake is the best young goaltender in the league. But that doesn’t mean there’s not a learning curve and growth. And that’s all part of the journey.”
DeBoer also said that the coaching staff debated starting backup Casey DeSmith in Game 4 against the Oilers because of Oettinger’s heavy workload in the playoffs and the fact that he was dealing with an upper-respiratory issue.
Speaking Saturday for the first time since the Game 5 loss, Oettinger didn’t use the sickness as an excuse.
“I’d rather be sick than what some of these guys are going through,” Oettinger said. “So no excuse there.”
He also didn’t hide his disappointment about getting the early hook.
“It sucks,” Oettinger said. “It’s embarrassing. Any time you get pulled, doesn’t matter if it’s playoffs or regular season, you just want to go right off the ice and crawl into your bed and not talk to anyone.”
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When asked about his head coach’s comments after Game 5, he dismissed the idea that DeBoer’s comments had damaged their relationship.
“I think for me, just the whole experience, I’m going to learn from it and it’s going to help me grow and be a better person and better goalie,” Oettinger said. “My job is to stop the puck, and I feel like I’m one of the best in the world when I’m doing that, so that’s all I’m going to focus on.
“All the extra stuff is just extra stuff to me.”
The loss to the Oilers was the Stars’ third straight in the Western Conference Final, and second straight to Edmonton.
This season’s Western Conference Final marked the second straight year that Oettinger has looked mortal against the high-powered Oilers offence. The 26-year-old finished with a .853 save percentage and a 3.93 goals-against average in the five-game series loss to Edmonton.
Last season, Oettinger allowed 16 goals in Dallas’s six-game defeat against Edmonton and posted a .901 save percentage.
Both series have left a stain on what is otherwise a sterling post-season resume for the young goalie. In 64 career playoff games before Thursday’s disappointing exit, Oettinger had a .913 save percentage and 2.53 goals-against average.
