'We want to see him in game action': Braden Holtby to start in St. Louis

Stars (0-0-0, 0 points) at Blues (1-0-0, 2 points)

One place that does deserve attention is in net, where Braden Holtby will get the start and play two periods, and Jake Oettinger is scheduled to come in for the third period. Holtby signed with the Stars as a free agent in the summer after being bought out by the Canucks. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2016 and the Stanley Cup in 2018 while playing with the Capitals, so he has a great resume. However, the Capitals did not re-sign him after the 2019-20 season and then he went 7-11-3 with Vancouver last season, posting a 3.67 goals-against average and .889 save percentage.
The Stars signed Holtby to a one-year deal for $2 million, and the hope is that he and Anton Khudobin will challenge each other while Ben Bishop continues to rehab from knee surgery.
Holtby said he's looking forward to getting into game action with his new teammates.
"It's always extremely useful," Holtby said. "You can't practice game-like situations, as much as you try, so you use (preseason) as much as you can, especially the traffic situations and then there are lulls in the game to get that mental sharpness back."

Stars coach Rick Bowness said everyone is eager to see what Holtby can do.
"He wants to play, he wants to get in and get a feel for the game, and we want to see him in game action as quick as we can," Bowness said. "That's a pretty good lineup they're throwing at us tonight, I think there are eight regulars, so it'll be a good test for everybody."
Dallas is bringing mostly depth players, while the Blues are at home and expect to play Ryan O'Reilly, Brayden Schenn, Torey Krug and David Perron, among others. Holtby has had just three practices with his teammates, but said he's already learned a lot about how the Stars do things.
"It's been really great," Holtby said. "We've had three hard days, productive days. There's a lot of emphasis on our systems and our breakouts, which is good, because we're going to need to be sharp there. I think the whole group has been really focused and really committed."
Oettinger broke through as a rookie last season, posting an 11-8-7 record with a 2.36 GAA and .911 save percentage. The 22-year-old is in a tough situation because Bishop is still trying to recover from his knee surgery and Holtby and Khudobin seemed to be penciled in at the NHL level. While that seems to indicate Oettinger will start in the AHL, he's just focused on playing his best.
"I don't really think there are a lot of changes for me," Oettinger said. "I'm really confident in my game and what I did last year, and I'm just going to continue to build on that. I think I have a lot in the tank and I can help this team win. Now, it's my turn to go out and prove that. They're giving me an opportunity to earn my spot, and that's all I can ask for."

What to watch

The Stars are using a lot of hungry players tonight, as most are expected to start outside the NHL, but several could change the minds of the coaching staff.
Among the players who are close are Ty Dellandrea, Riley Tufte and Tye Felhaber, who will play on one line, as well as Riley Damiani, Jacob Peterson and Nick Caamano, who will play on another.
"We want to see them against good NHLers," Bowness said. "The same with Thomas Harley. He's got to show he's ready to help us. Here's your chance. He'll play a lot and we'll see what he can do."
Harley is the team's highest rated prospect on defense and is expected to play tonight beside newcomer Jani Hakanpää, who likely will have a spot in the opening night lineup.

Lineup updates

In addition to the above-mentioned AHL veterans, the Stars are expected to play Joel Hanley, Tanner Kero and Rhett Gardner, who each have a chance to play a role on the NHL roster this season.

By the numbers

39

Veteran depth forward Kero played in 39 games for Dallas last season, collecting three goals and seven assists for 10 points.

13:01

Veteran defenseman Hanley played 35 games for the Stars last season. He averaged 13:01 in time on ice and contributed eight assists.

36

Damiani was the AHL's rookie of the year last season with 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 36 games.

He said it

"I think after every season, you need a reset. I try to get the goalie out of my body and just be a normal person for a while. Just golf and hang out with my buddies. I think everyone needs that." -- Oettinger on what he did over the summer
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.