Jake Oettinger, not Connor Hellebuyck, has to be Team USA’s top goalie in Milan

DALLAS — In these sleepy moments, when the opposite 11 guys are 150 ft down the ice jockeying for a puck he can barely make out, Jake Oettinger simply begins speaking to himself. Out loud.

Simply make that subsequent save. Make that subsequent save.

When possession flips and the mass of humanity begins shifting his manner, the puck shortly coming into focus, Oettinger’s muscle groups tense and he will get into his stance — and retains on muttering.

Simply make that one save. Make that one massive save.

“That’s something I started doing this year, just talking out loud to myself,” Oettinger instructed The Athletic in a quiet second after he backstopped the Dallas Stars to a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Recreation 3 of their second-round sequence. “Little things that I try to think about so I’m not just daydreaming. Sometimes in the past, a goal would go in and I wasn’t even thinking about anything. I think it’s helped me stay sharp, especially when you’re not getting a ton of work.”

It’s one thing loads of hack golfers do: little reminders to roll their wrists, maintain their elbow straight or maintain their head down. Oettinger stated he doesn’t do it whereas he golfs — “Because my swing’s so good,” he stated, grinning — however he’s continually yammering to himself within the crease.

Make that one massive save, after which we’re gonna rating. Make that save.

He virtually at all times appears to.

Of all Oettinger’s qualities as a goaltender, his preternatural calm could be his largest weapon. The shot isn’t too onerous, the site visitors isn’t too hectic, the second isn’t too massive. Oh, positive, he acknowledges that the playoffs are a demanding time, however he additionally stated it most likely weighs tougher on his household than it does on him. It’s as massive a purpose as any that he’s second solely to the Florida Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky in postseason victories (29) during the last 4 seasons and third solely to Igor Shesterkin and Freddie Andersen in postseason save proportion (.915).

Oettinger is made for the massive second, wired to deal with the strain.

“Jake has an ability to raise his level this time of year; he’s shown that,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer stated earlier within the playoffs. “The thing I’ve always admired about Jake is, as the games have gotten more important in the series, the deeper into the series it goes, the more his game rises.”

Which, regrettably, brings us to Connor Hellebuyck, Oettinger’s counterpart for the Jets, who’s about to enter rarefied air along with his third Vezina Trophy. They’re two of the perfect goalies on the earth, and so they each occur to be American. On the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, Hellebuyck was the apparent option to be Group USA’s No. 1 goalie, with Oettinger backing him up, getting in a single round-robin sport in opposition to Sweden. Hellebuyck performed effectively, however the USA misplaced the championship in time beyond regulation to Canada.

So in Winnipeg, the followers serenaded Oettinger with chants of “U.S. backup!” In Dallas, the locals showered Hellebuyck with chants of “Otter’s better!”

And right here’s the factor: They’re each proper.

Mikko Rantanen wires the puck previous Connor Hellebuyck in Recreation 3. (Sam Hodde / Getty Photos)

Oettinger is the U.S. backup. However he shouldn’t be. It’s turning into clearer day-after-day that Oettinger needs to be the People’ selection in aim subsequent February on the Milan Olympics. Hellebuyck could be the perfect goalie on the earth, however Oettinger’s the one you’ll be able to belief when it issues most.

In those self same final 4 postseasons, Hellebuyck is 7-13, with an .866 save proportion and a 3.90 goals-against common. He has misplaced all 4 highway video games in these playoffs, with a ghastly .772 save proportion and virtually unfathomable 6.65 goals-against common. Recreation 3 was the primary highway sport this spring during which he even made it to the ultimate horn. This after going 1-4 with an .864 save proportion final spring and 1-4 with an .886 save proportion the spring earlier than that.

It’s not a sample-size problem. It’s a Hellebuyck problem.

To listen to the Stars inform it, taking part in in entrance of Oettinger is the last word luxurious, a safety blanket like no different.

“It’s huge,” stated defenseman Alex Petrovic, who scored the sport winner Sunday on a fluky, hotly contested “shot” off his left skate. “He’s a rock for this team. Always has been. When he’s kicking, it gives us a chance every night.”

There’s merely no manner the Jets really feel the identical. Not deep down. Would the People be any totally different?

The 2026 Olympics would be the largest match for American hockey in a technology. The U.S. has caught Canada at almost each degree however nonetheless got here up quick — on the 4 Nations, in Sochi and in Vancouver. Entrusting what needs to be the perfect assemblage of American expertise ever to Hellebuyck, given the way in which he has carried out on the most important stage the final three springs, can be managerial malpractice by normal supervisor Invoice Guerin and coach Mike Sullivan.

And make no mistake: Oettinger desires this. Even amid the playoffs and all that comes with it, the Olympics are nonetheless bouncing round within the recesses of his thoughts.

“Not playing this year at 4 Nations just made me want to be even better, and I know I have so much room to grow and get better,” he instructed The Athletic. “Obviously, right now I’m trying to win the Stanley Cup, but other than winning the Cup, that would be the biggest accomplishment of my career. So it’s always in the back of my head. I know if I play well and continue to get better, I give myself a chance.”

Oettinger stated he doesn’t really feel like he and Hellebuyck — whom he met on the All-Star Recreation final 12 months after which grew shut with on the 4 Nations — are going head-to-head on this sequence. Oettinger has to fret about Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey and loads of different guys, not Hellebuyck.

However Hellebuyck’s mere presence on the different finish of the rink raises the stakes — and Oettinger’s sport.

“He’s obviously been an incredible goalie for a long time, been at the top of the American goalie mountain for it seems like 10 years now,” Oettinger stated. “His consistency is off the charts, and he’s about to win his third Vezina. So we know what we’re up against. You know you’ve got to elevate because you’re not going to get easy ones on him. He’s going to give them a chance to win every night. He’s going to make big saves. So, I just know I have to be at my best if we want to beat them because we’re not getting any freebies.”

That’s true, in principle. It hasn’t been true in follow. Particularly when Hellebuyck is on the highway. And if you happen to can’t belief him in Dallas, or in St. Louis, how will you belief him in Milan?

Quite a bit can occur between now and February. Quite a bit can occur between now and the top of this sequence. Hellebuyck nonetheless has time to salvage his fame as a clutch performer, to show he’s extra than simply the perfect regular-season goalie on the planet, to take again his job as America’s go-to goalie.

However till he does, the highest spot on the American depth chart has to belong to Oettinger. As a result of if he’s not the perfect American goalie, he’s absolutely essentially the most reliable.

It’s important to suppose Guerin and Sullivan are someplace watching these video games, muttering that to themselves. Out loud.

(Prime photograph of Jake Oettinger: Jerome Miron / Imagn Photos)