Last line of defense: Casey DeSmith putting together impressive run in Stars’ homestretch

The sport of golf could very well be considered the national sport of the National Hockey League.

It’s a staple in the lives of players and staff and is an ideal option for business, leisure or team building. A relaxing activity in a natural outdoor setting that can also promote some valuable lessons about strategy, patience and perseverance that can be applied on the ice.

So, the question must be asked: can the same be said about disc golfing?

Stars goalie Casey DeSmith thinks so.

“The mental toughness side of it, for sure,” DeSmith said. “Not letting one bad hole or one bad throw derail your round. Just kind of staying in it and staying in the fight. It can sometimes feel like that on the ice, like when you give up two goals in the first ten minutes and you’re like, ‘Alright, I’ve got to stay in this because there’s 50 minutes left.’”

DeSmith is a long-time disc golfer. He is sponsored by Prodigy Disc, who also partners with the NHL. They currently offer a line of NHL-branded team discs and are also creating a Casey DeSmith line.

“It’s just something for me to get away,” DeSmith said. “You’re outside, you’re breathing in fresh air and getting your sun. It’s a feel-good escape to clear your mind.”

Of course, those lessons and experiences are also available in regular golf.

“I’ve really gotten into golf the past two and a half years, so a little less disc golfing now because I’m really into golf,” DeSmith said with a laugh. “It kind of sucked me in. I was always one of those guys who would go because my buddies were going and then I started to get a little bit better and I was like, ‘Man, this is really fun. I feel like I kind of want to be good at this, too.’”

That mindset has carried the 33-year-old through his professional career. DeSmith began his journey to the NHL with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL in 2015. After an impressive and short stint, he was called up to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the AHL affiliate of Pittsburgh. And following parts of three seasons in the AHL, DeSmith made his NHL debut on October 29, 2017.

After five more seasons in the Penguins organization, he was traded to the Canadiens in the summer of 2023. He was flipped by Montreal to Vancouver before the season began and spent a single season with the Canucks before hitting the free agent market in July 2024.

That’s when he got the call from the Stars and signed a three-year contract.

“I had maybe some higher dollar amount offers out there, but that’s not why I play the game,” DeSmith said. “I want a chance to win the Cup. I’m not as young as I used to be and I’m coming down to it. I want to have at least three more years of a chance to win the Cup. This is a veteran team that has been there but hasn’t quite broken through. All the pieces are there and the culture is there. It just seemed like a really good fit for me.”

Boy, has that fit paid off for both sides. Just look at Thursday night in Calgary. DeSmith was brilliant in the crease, stopping 46 of 48 shots (.958 save percentage) while helping a tired Stars group in front of him preserve a lead and cash in at opportunistic moments. It was the third-most saves in a game in his career and followed on the heels of a brilliant 36-save showing against Tampa Bay last week.

Both performances added onto a stellar 7-0-1 run that DeSmith has crafted since January 25. With a .938 save percentage, 1.98 goals against average and one shutout over the span, he has offered the Stars a chance to win with each start. Considering his tenure in Dallas began with a 2-4-0 mark, things couldn’t be going much better.

“Once you figure out the breakouts, everything else kind of takes care of itself,” DeSmith said of the transition. “As a goalie, you kind of let everything come to you. Not that I’m at the effect of everything around me because I do dictate certain things. But at the same time, I’m the last line of defense and there’s a lot going on in front of me. I just have to be there if anything breaks down. That’s just my job description.”

Another standard piece of the backup goaltender job description is playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Serving as the last line of defense for a tired team after a game the night before, a late-night arrival in the next city and short night’s sleep, it’s not the most ideal scenario.

But it’s one that DeSmith has come to embrace in his career.

“Yeah. I mean, most nights,” DeSmith said with a laugh when asked about if he enjoys starting the second game. “A lot of times, maybe you’re on your heels a little bit for stretches of a game. If the team is a little heavy-legged and a little bit tired, just holding them in it and giving them a chance. Maybe it’s just getting a point. I’ve taken a lot of pride in that in past years and this year.

“It’s definitely something I can hang my hat on. Maybe we didn’t deserve a point but I get one, I can still leave the rink knowing I did my job and gave them a chance. It is a fun little challenge.”

One that DeSmith has thrived in throughout this season. Following the win in Calgary, the goalie is now 6-2-0 on the second night of a back-to-back. His .947 save percentage, 1.64 GAA and two shutouts lead all NHL goalies in that situation.

The goalie has added another dose of consistency to a Stars goalie room that has been anything but over the past decade-plus. In the past 13 seasons, Dallas has used 19 different goaltenders. While the starter has been a relatively steady transition of power from Kari Lehtonen, to Ben Bishop, to Jake Oettinger, the backup spot has been a revolving door. In the previous two and a half seasons, the tandem of Oettinger and Scott Wedgewood provided welcomed stability.

With Oettinger’s recent long-term extension and DeSmith’s three-year deal, the hope is that #29 and #1 will offer an even stronger base along with goaltending coach Jeff Reese.

“It feels like the same thing,” Oettinger said of this season compared to the past two. “We were actually talking this morning at breakfast about goalie partners. I’ve been so lucky that every guy I’ve had has been a treat to work with. He’s no different. He works his butt off and works for everything he’s got. He’s really supportive and it really feels like we’re a team with him and Reeser. We’ve got a great thing going right now in the goalie room.”

DeSmith shares the same sentiment.

“I felt like I slotted in right away and being goalie partners with Otter has been great, “DeSmith said. “He’s really nice and easy going, but a really hard worker. An American goalie partner, and Reeser is also awesome. He’s everything I needed and everything I thought he would be. Someone who’s been there, gets it and knows the position. There were a lot of good pieces.”

It’s no secret that Dallas is receiving elite goaltending, especially in the homestretch of the regular season. The duo has posted a combined .912 save percentage, which is tied for third-best in the NHL this season. A large part of that can be attributed to two goaltenders focused on getting the best out of themselves and each other.

“His work ethic and he’s so competitive,” Stars forward Wyatt Johnston said of DeSmith. “When you score on him in practice, he’s not happy about it. That’s great to see in a goalie. It just shows how competitive he is and how bad he wants to stop the puck and win. It makes it fun for us in practice to try and score on someone who is putting in 100 percent on every single shot you’re taking on him. It shows off when he’s playing.”

But for the goaltender, it’s all just part of the job.

Whether it’s putting a ball, slinging a disc, or stopping a puck, that’s a pretty good approach.

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

Josh Clark is a writer for DallasStars.com. Follow him on X @Josh_Clark02.