Here we are in round two of the playoffs, and the Jets and Stars are putting on a high-profile goaltender showdown. The Stars have Jake Oettinger, who at just 26 years old is already a super experienced playoff starter who has started for Dallas in the past four seasons. Then there is 31-year-old Connor Hellebuyck, who holds it down between the poles for the Jets and who looks like he is about to win his third Vezina trophy, so the goalie game is strong in this series! However, with both of these goaltenders being American and with the Milan Winter Olympics scheduled for February of next year, could this series decide who will represent the country?

In a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, NHL analyst Steven Levy commented on just that, the “subplot” of this year’s playoff series. “So it’s a weird thing.” He said, “Something cool that’s going on here, the sort of subplot, if you will. So Jake (Oettinger)’s down at the other end (of Hellebuyck), right? They’re both American-born goalies, and maybe this series decides who starts for Team USA in the Olympics next year.”

“That’s got to be in the back of their two minds. Hellebuyck is not only up for the Vezina, which is a goalie award; he is up for the Hart, which is regular season MVP, which goalies never win, and they’re chanting in the building in Dallas that Otter is better.” Levy went on to comment on how the chanting has to do with tradition in the home stadium but also highlight the fact that, numbers-wise, Oettinger has indeed been better.

Which is not to say that Hellebuyck’s been bad, he’s been good, great even on home ground, but Jake Oettinger has managed to make more saves, with a .909 save percentage and 2 shutouts this postseason. Hellebuyck on the other hand, has a dismal .848 save percentage that, get this, puts him dead last amongst post season goalies (Oettinger’s up in fourth place).  But does he really stand a chance against the (almost) 3 time Vezina winner?

Connor Hellebuyck vs. Jake Oettinger, who is a better choice for Team USA at Milano-Cortina?

In Levy’s appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, he went on to add that “Oettinger’s been better. Hellebuyck’s been good, but really at home. And again, if this thing goes seven, you know, you see where that’s headed. Advantage, Winnipeg. So that’ll be something to watch; Dallas will want to wrap this up.”

While Hellebuyck has been excellent at home in Winnipeg, his performance on the road has been subpar, and in terms of consistency, Jake Oettinger just seems overall more prepared. With coach Pete DeBoer saying, “The thing I’ve always admired about Jake is, as the games have gotten more important in the series, the deeper into the series it goes, the more his game rises.”

Considering Jake Oettinger is on a path of self-improvement, notably saying, “Not playing this year at 4 Nations just made me want to be even better,” and Hellebuyck’s road performances this playoff series has really shown its cracks, with the Jets not having won a single road game and Hellebuyck amounting to a .772 save percentage and 6.65 goals-against average, there’s no telling what February 2026 may bring.

But for now, we just await game 5.