After already filling one important hole in their prospect pool by taking playmaking center Casey Mittelstadt at 3rd overall, the Dallas Stars use their second 1st round selection in SB Nation’s 2017 NHL Mock Draft, 29th overall, to fill another hole by taking goaltender Jake Oettinger.
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Posted by SB Nation NHL on Thursday, May 25, 2017
Oettinger is the consensus best goaltender in this year’s draft, and it’s easy to see why. His large 6’4” frame automatically fills a lot of the net, but he also complements his excellent size with a stoic composure during games and a professional, mature demeanor off the ice. He’s been incredibly successful everywhere that he’s played over the past three years, from the prestigious USA Hockey National Team Development Program, to the 2016 IIHF U18s (where he backstopped the U.S. to gold), and now to Boston University in the NCAA.
The Stars have a few interesting goalie prospects in their system in Philippe Desrosiers, Landon Bow, Colton Point and Markus Ruusu, but none of them are by any means considered a top prospect at the moment.
The Stars signed free agent Ben Bishop this summer to a blockbuster six-year contract, so in Oettinger they would have an heir apparent that could slowly be developed and brought along as his eventual replacement as the team’s starting goalie.
There will be a number of fantastic prospects still available when the Dallas Stars pick 29th overall this upcoming Friday night, but if Oettinger is indeed still on the board, few others would be as perfect of a fit as he is.
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