What happened: Dallas Stars open the 2026-27 preseason with Jake Oettinger as the No. 1 goaltender. The focus is year-to-year consistency after three straight 35-win seasons.
Why it matters: Dallas is positioned to contend, making stable goaltending central to its October start. Workload management behind Oettinger will shape the backup rotation across the 82-game schedule.
By the numbers: Oettinger went 35-14-4 with 2.72 GAA and .905 save percentage in 2023-24, then 36-18-4 with 2.59 GAA and .909 in 2024-25. He followed with 35-12-6 and a 2.59 GAA in 2025-26.
What to watch: Watch preseason starts for workload splits and how Dallas structures the second goaltender role.