The Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars will face off in the Western Conference Final for the second straight NHL season, with a ticket to the Stanley Cup Final on the line. Ahead of Game 1 at American Airlines Center, star Jake Oettinger voiced a firm statement to his teammates, warning Connor McDavid and the opposing roster in Edmonton.
The Stars are determined to reach their fourth Stanley Cup Final since the franchise moved to Dallas. Their last appearance in the final stage was during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs in the bubble in Edmonton, when they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Now, the Stars’ dream of hoisting the franchise’s second Stanley Cup is alive and well. However, McDavid and the Oilers stand in their way, just like last season when they defeated the Stars in six games in the Western Conference Final.
It’s a battle for all the marbles—at least in the West. The Stars and Oilers are set for an epic standoff, Wild West style, with McDavid leading the charge against one of the league’s top goaltenders—Jake Oettinger—who shines brightest under pressure. And on that note, Oettinger made one thing clear: Dallas is thirsty for revenge.
Jake Oettinger #29 of the Dallas Stars in the second period at Crypto.com Arena on February 07, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
“I think we’ve learned a lot the last two years,” Oettinger said, per NHL.com. “That’s all we wanted after we lost last year is this opportunity. The fact that we get to play Edmonton again makes it even better.
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“The guys that hadn’t had any experience, we have all the experience in the world now. It’s up to us as a group to take that next step and I think we should feel great about what we’ve done with the adversity we’ve faced. I think our best hockey is yet to come.”
In the zone
Oettinger is only 26 years old, yet he’s already built a reputation in the NHL for his out-of-this-world performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He’s been instrumental in every Stars playoff run, and Dallas knows its fate against McDavid and the Oilers rests, in large part, on Oettinger’s shoulders.
“He’s just a player, a goalie that steps up in big moments and [is] pretty composed,” Stars captain Jamie Benn said. “Nothing seems to faze him, really. I try to get under his skin even in practice, and he’s calm as a cucumber. He takes his level to another game, and you’ve seen it the last couple of years and even this year, it’s just going to another level.”
Mikko-magic
The Oilers boast a duo that requires no introduction in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but the Stars are confident in their weapons, too. Peter DeBoer launched a big threat to Edmonton about the leading goalscorer in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Mikko Rantanen, who has become a man on a mission throughout this year’s postseason.
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“Its nice to have guys who make something out of nothing,” DeBoer said, as reported by Gene Principe. “They have two of them [in McDavid and Draisaitl]. Nice to know we have one [in Mikko Rantanen].”
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The Oilers and Stars are chasing the same dream—the one every NHL franchise fights for each season—but only four teams remain. McDavid and Edmonton will hit the road once again, aiming to land a big blow in Game 1 and set the tone for the 2025 Western Conference Final against Dallas.
