3 turning points that derailed Dallas Stars’ 2024-25 season ft. pulling Oettinger in Game 5

The Dallas Stars entered the 2024-25 season among the Stanley Cup favorites. They looked poised to get there after defeating the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets in the first two rounds.

But then, the Stars ran into a brick wall against the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers bounced the Stars in five games, beating them for the second straight season in the Western Conference Final. That situation left fans wondering what went wrong this time around.

So, here’s a look at the three turning points that derailed the Dallas Stars’ 2024-25 season.

#3 Seven-game series against Colorado

The Dallas Stars faced a formidable opponent in the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round. That series was a classic, going the distance.

The seven-game series featured overtime drama and plenty of hard-hitting action. Such a tough first-round series took its toll on the Stars. As a result, the club was low on gas heading into their second-round matchup against the Winnipeg Jets.

It took Dallas another six games to send the Jets packing before facing the Oilers. By then, the Stars were out of gas, as evidenced by the four-straight losses in the series. It’s safe to assume that, if the Avalanche series hadn’t played out the way it did, the Stars would have been better rested against the Oilers.

#2 Game 2 shutout loss against Oilers

The Dallas Stars got off to a roaring start, winning Game 1 of the Western Conference Final 6-3 against the Oilers. It seemed as though Edmonton was on the ropes, and the Stars would get their revenge on the Oilers.

Instead, the Oilers shut out the Stars in Game 2, 3-0. That situation completely turned the tide in the series. The Stars’ scoring evaporated. In particular, Mikko Rantanen, who had been on fire in the first two rounds, was silenced against Edmonton. The Oilers kept Rantanen to just three assists the entire series.

The Oilers managed to adjust to the Stars following their Game 1 loss. The Stars, unfortunately, were unable to adjust to the shifting Edmonton game plan.

#1 Pulling Oettinger after 7 minutes in Game 5

Former Stars’ coach Peter DeBoer had come under fire for questionable decisions. For instance, he dropped captain Jamie Benn to the fourth line amid his scoring slump.

But the most questionable decision of all was his pulling of franchise goalie Jake Oettinger five minutes into Game 5. With the Oilers up 2-0 seven minutes into the game, DeBoer pulled Oettinger in favor of backup Casey DeSmith.

The move raised plenty of eyebrows as Oettinger was not injured or ill. The move sparked a wave of controversy that led to DeBoer’s dismissal during the offseason.

It’s worth considering that, if DeBoer had kept Oettinger in the game, the Stars’ goalie would have settled in and kept his team in the game. The outcome, instead, was a 6-3 Oilers’ win that ended Dallas’ season.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan