Goalie go-round: Goaltending a valuable asset among Central Division playoff teams

The NHL’s division-centric playoff format creates all sorts of discussions, as teams have to get out of their own division to advance to the conference finals.

So the Stars’ path to a potential Stanley Cup Final berth is expected to start with a best-of-seven series against the Minnesota Wild and then advance to a meeting with the Colorado Avalanche.

That’s a tough trio of teams in a lot of regards, but it also could possibly be three of the best goaltending teams in the league. Going into Monday’s games, Colorado ranks first in goals against average at 2.50, Dallas is second at 2.69, and Minnesota is fourth at 2.83. Minnesota, meanwhile, leads the league in save percentage at .906, with Colorado second at .905 and Dallas seventh at .898.

Even more intriguing is the fact all three teams are accomplishing these numbers with a goaltending split. Colorado’s is the most-evenly divided with Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood. Each is a journeyman goalie. Each has found his best game with the Avalanche. Wedgewood is a former Stars backup who might be in contention for the Vezina Trophy this season. He has a 28-6-6 record with his wins ranking seventh. He also ranks first in GAA at 2.13 and first in save percentage at .918. That’s high cotton.

Blackwood has had some injury issues and is 21-10-1 with a 2.58 GAA and .899 save percentage. However, he started all seven playoff games last season against the Stars, and Wedgewood has never started a playoff game, so that does create some intrigue in who should start the First Round.

Just as balanced is Minnesota with Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt. Gustavsson is 28-13-6 with a 2.59 GAA and .909 save percentage. Wallstedt is 16-8-6 with a 2.67 GAA and .914 save percentage. Gustavsson has 11 playoff games of experience with a 4-6 postseason record. He has a 2.58 GAA and a .917 save percentage. Wallstedt is the youngest of the six goalies at 23 and has not played in a playoff game.

Which leads us to Jake Oettinger. The Stars’ No. 1 goalie has the most experience with 301 NHL regular season appearances and 65 more in the playoffs. Oettinger is third in wins this season at 31-12-6, but his GAA is slightly up at 2.61 and his save percentage is significantly down at .900.

He has been helped by the fact that veteran backup Casey DeSmith has come in and played very well. DeSmith has the least appearances of any of the six goalies at 29. However, he has gone 14-8-6 with a 2.34 GAA (third best among goalies with at least 20 appearances) and a .910 save percentage (tied for sixth).

DeSmith was given the start Saturday against Colorado and lost 2-0. He allowed one goal on 21 shots and looked good in the process.

“He was fantastic…sharp…sharp,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “He looked good, and that’s a good thing to have going into the playoffs.”

DeSmith played 27 games last season, and there is a good chance he will have the third-most in his career with 30-plus this year. So, he is in a good place when it comes to possibly starting a playoff game.

“I was excited,” he said of Saturday’s start. “You never know about these things, and I hadn’t faced them yet this year, so I was happy to get a shot at them.”

Coaches and teammates say they feel comfortable with both goalies, so maybe this could be the year when Dallas does trust its backup in the playoffs. Wedgewood seems in line to get the start for Colorado, but those two goalies are as even as any. Gustavsson will be Minnesota’s starter because of Wallstedt’s age and inexperience. And Oettinger will clearly get the first start with Dallas.

But Gulutzan was just part of an Edmonton organization that used two goalies to get to two Stanley Cup Finals.

“You almost need two goalies,” Gulutzan said. “If you want to go a long way, you’re probably going to need both guys at some point.”

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X @MikeHeika.