A big, big story has been coming to fruition in the Western Conference semifinals; and that is the tale between the pipes. The Winnipeg Jets have Connor Hellebuyck, arguably the top goaltender in the world. He's won the Vezina Trophy as the leagues' best twice and is a finalist this season (and will likely win). In addition to the goalie specific award, he's a finalist for the Hart Trophy, which is given annually to the leagues' MVP. However, his play these playoffs has been less than ideal; he's been pulled from net three times so far. It's like he crumbles when the stakes matter the most. In the 11 games so far this postseason he has numbers that don't tell a story of the greatest in net; he has a 3.48 Goals Against Average (GAA) and .851 save percentage (SV%). Compare those stats to his numbers in the 2024-25 regular season (2.00 GAA and .924 SV%) and you'd think we're talking about two different individuals.
On the other side of the ice, the Dallas Stars have Jake Oettinger, who also has 11 games under his belt this postseason, but his numbers tell a safer, less chaotic and more consistent story. In these 11 games Oettinger has 2.55 GAA and .917 SV% similarly compared to his regular season numbers of 2.59 GAA and .909 SV%. Consistency here is key. Will this steadiness lead him to finally winning a Cup? It could, but it could also lead him to be the ideal netminder for the Unites States of America in the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics.
Sportsnet's Scott Oake asked Oettinger about starting in the upcoming Olympics, who didn't hide his intentions.
"Other than winning the Cup, that's my No. 1 goal. A long ways from now, a lot of hockey left... I can worry about that when it comes." If he keeps playing like he's playing, he won't have to worry about anything," said Oettinger.
Jake Oettinger aiming to be starting goalie for Team USA in 2026 Winter Olympics
This pair of Hellebuyck and Oettinger backstopped the USA in the NHL's 4 Nations Face Off back in February, with Hellebuyck as the starting goaltender in three of the four contests. But with his recent struggles during games that matter the most, he has fallen short. With the NHL allowing players back into the international pool for the Olympics, who will USA Hockey call upon?
Consistency and poise under pressure or the best of the best for multiple seasons in a row with a failing postseason? Not only can Oettinger takeaway Hellebuyck's chances at winning the Stanley Cup this season but he can also take away the desire for Team USA to want him in between the pipes when it matters the most for their country. The pressure is tough and the bar is extremely high, but let the best man win. Will Hellebuyck's play get back on track or will Oettinger cruise to the next round of playoffs (and potentially more) and give USA an easy choice for their starting spot in the 2026 Olympics? I am excited to watch this goalie battle!
More imminently though, the Presidents Trophy-winning Jets are one loss away from succumbing to the trophy's curse, which they very narrowly avoided in Round 1. The Stars are one win away from making a Western Conference Finals appearance for the third year in a row, and their fourth since 2020. Game 5 is Thursday at Canada Life Center in Winnipeg.