What will Jake Oettinger make on his next contract with the Stars?

While there’s been a ton of buzz lately surrounding Igor Shesterkin’s looming contract extension in New York, the Dallas Stars are also trying to navigate extending their starting netminder, as Jake Oettinger is a pending restricted free agent.

The 25-year-old native of Lakville, MN, is set to earn $4 million against the cap this season, and is in store for a hefty raise on his next deal. Oettinger is coming off a 2023-24 campaign, where he posted a 35-14-4 record, along with a 2.72 goals against average, and a .905 save percentage.

Oettinger owns an impressive career record of 114-48-23, and also has appeared in 47 Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Stars, playing to a .915 save percentage. He’s proven himself throughout parts of now six seasons in Dallas. Stars’ GM Jim Nill needs to do whatever he can to keep Oettinger around, as long as possible.

On Friday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Frank Seravalli discussed what Oettinger’s extension may look like, and the timelines expected.

Yaremchuk: One other name we’re keeping an eye on, you mentioned Shesterkin between the pipes, but there’s another goalie, granted not a pending UFA, so maybe not the same sense of urgency, but Jake Oettinger. I’m going to throw you – is it maybe a situation where Swayman is the floor? And then, Shesterkin is the very high ceiling. Maybe Oettinger is the middle-man between those two?

Seravalli: Yeah, I think that’s a really good way to frame it. If you look at it from this perspective, Oettinger and Swayman are the same age, they’re both 25 right now. Swayman, obviously has had a couple of good years, but doesn’t have the workload to show. He’s only done it in tandem with (Linus) Ullmark. Meanwhile, Oettinger has been ‘the guy’. He’s got a 62-game season under his belt. He’s got multiple different playoff runs, where he’s been ‘the guy’. And, his numbers are all still really good.

So, I see Swayman, to your point, as sort of the minimum there, but here’s the thing. The Stars and Oettinger really haven’t talked contract, to this point yet. I don’t think there in a significant rush. But, maybe given how the market has changed, maybe it makes sense to try and tackle that if your Dallas, sooner rather than later.

Yaremchuk: Yeah, I mean it depends on how you view the Shesterkin thing, and what your read is on it, because if Shesterkin get’s $12-million, and Oettinger says ‘he wants to be in the middle of that, I’m $10-million’, maybe still now there isn’t a clear path for Shesterkin. Maybe you can get Oettinger closer to the $9-9.25 million range.

For the full episode, which covered more on the goalie market, Macklin Celebrini’s debut, and Sabres fans hitting the panic button three games into the season, watch here.