Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced on Thursday that the franchise has re-signed goalie Jake Oettinger to an eight-year contract worth $66 million, making him one of the highest-paid goalies in the NHL.
This contract keeps the fifth-year goalie from entering restricted free agency this summer and will carry a cap hit of $8.25 million every year through the 2032-33 season, according to ESPN.
Since being drafted by the Stars with the 26th overall selection in the 2017 NHL Draft, Oettinger has helped Dallas accumulate a record of 116-48 in games he has played while saving 91.4% of shots sent his way.
Oettinger, who is just 25, ranks third in goals-against average with 2.49, sixth in save percentage, and sixth in wins during his span as the Stars’ goalie, per ESPN.
“His unique blend of poise, size, athleticism, and mental toughness has helped our team reach new heights since he’s taken over the net. He is an integral part of our core that will allow us to contend for the Stanley Cup this season, but also for many years to come,” Nill said, according to NHL.com.
“Off the ice, Jake is a leader in our team’s community efforts and is always willing to give his time and resources. I’m pleased that Jake and his wife Kennedi will be part of our family for many years to come.”
The organization posted a video of the extension process on social media on Thursday, with Nill explaining that Oettinger has become “such a big part of our franchise” since arriving on the team.
“Dallas is all I’ve ever wanted to be and the only place I want to be, so when this opportunity came up, I was so excited,” Oettinger added in the video.
“My wife and I love Dallas so much. My family loves it. Dallas feels like home for us now. No place we’d rather be.”
Oettinger’s deal comes as multiple other goalies around the league re-signed with their franchises, including Jeremy Swayman re-signing with the Boston Bruins on an eight-year, $66 million contract and the Ottawa Senators re-signing Linus Ullmark to a four-year deal worth $33 million.
Nill explained that the contracts signed by other goalies “kind of brought it all together” for Oettinger and the Stars, noting that these deals helped provide a framework for what would keep him in Dallas.
“It was no secret there was guys out there that had to get signed. So, we just said, ‘Let’s see where the market’s at, and once that market’s settled, then let’s talk.’ And that’s pretty well what we did,” he added, per ESPN.
