Oettinger was ranked first among North American goalies by NHL Central Scouting, and independent services had him ranked from first to third among goaltenders. The Stars, of course, had him tops on their list.
"He had everything we're looking for in a goaltender," said Joe McDonnell, Stars director of amateur scouting. "He has the size, the athleticism, and the compete level. He had the three checkmarks we were looking at with a goalie, and we got him."
Stars goaltending coach Jeff Reese got an up-close look at the 6-4, 218-pound Oettinger at the team's development camp in July, and he liked what he saw.
"He's a big body, and he has some presence in the net. He's very in control of his game, understands the game. He has a very high hockey IQ," Reese said. "But he has a long way to go. He has a lot of work to do."
That work for Oettinger will continue at Boston University, where he will be a sophomore this coming season. Last season, he posted a 21-11-3 record, 2.11 goals against average and .927 save percentage as a freshman.
Oettinger was superb in the NCAA tournament, stopping 56 shots in a 4-3 double overtime win over North Dakota in the first round of the tournament. But the Terriers couldn't get past Stars prospect Riley Tufte and Minnesota Duluth in the West Regional title game, falling 3-2 in overtime. Overall, it was a stellar first season of college hockey.
"I was surprised a little at the start to play so much
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This story was not subject to approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club. Mark Stepneski is an independent writer whose posts on DallasStars.com reflect his own opinions and do not represent official statements from the Dallas Stars. You can follow Mark on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.
