Heading into this season's Western Conference Final, there was one driving force at the heart of both teams. That force? The compulsion to compete for the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately for the Dallas Stars, the Edmonton Oilers rose to the occasion, and then some. Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner may have had the series of his life, and he outshone his Stars counterpart, Jake Oettinger. After Dallas lost in Game 5 of the WCF, Oettinger discussed how he felt about his benching by coach Pete DeBoer with Stars beat reporter Lia Assimakopoulos. She posted the exchange on X, formerly Twitter.

“Jake Oettinger said he wasn’t really focusing on/concerned about his relationship with Pete DeBoer,” posted Assimakopoulos. “Said his focus is on being the best goalie in the world and letting his game speak for itself.”

That's exactly what Oettinger is supposed to say. Furthermore, the fact that he said it should be heartening to Stars fans. It means he's still focused on being among the world's best goaltenders, a spot that could be claimed by another top star this season. In a critical game, it was shocking that DeBoer would bench his number one goalie. In fact, it's likely a choice he could regret for a long time. Now, Oettinger and DeBoer must move forward together. If they can do so, then the Stars' odds for Stanley Cup contention next year will rise considerably come next season.

How Jake Oettinger rebounds is crucial to Stars' future success

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Think about the scenario from Oettinger's point of view. All he wanted to do it shut down the opponent. That's all. Unfortunately, he wasn't really given the final opportunity to do that for his team. He was pulled after allowing two goals in just a little over seven minutes of ice time in the season-ending loss. DeBoer pulling his top netminder that early into the season-clinching game was certainly a head scratcher.

“Jake Oettinger said he was surprised to get pulled in Game 5 but is hoping to use it to get better,” said Assimakopoulos on the social media platform. “'It sucks. It’s embarrassing.'”

Yet, Oettinger is ready to move forward. He wants to be the very best goaltender in the world. He wants to help his team get over the Western Conference Final hump and into the Stanley Cup. Will Dallas accomplish its goal next June, or fall short?