Casey DeSmith
DeSmith is Jake Oettinger's backup in Dallas, on a two-year extension through 2028-29, and he should get spot starts rather than a share of the net.
Role
Backup to Jake Oettinger, who is listed first in the goalie section of Daily Faceoff's Stars page (fetched 2 November, last updated 31 October). That page cut off before I could read DeSmith's own entry. The reporting I found gives no current games-played split. The best evidence on usage is from last season: the club's profile says he played nine of the final 22 regular-season games, and he made 30 appearances. Our supplied line shows 3 GP, 71 SV on 80 SA and 9 GA. ESPN's profile shows a loss to the Devils where he stopped 22 of 27, and Fox Sports carries a report from Stars radio analyst Bruce LeVine that he would start on the road against Colorado. Nothing I found says how often he starts on back-to-backs.
The Stars just extended him, 2 years and $5 million, to keep the same Oettinger and DeSmith tandem for a fifth straight season. The club's August profile calls him a steady backup who has shown no signs of regression. ESPN's note says one bad game shouldn't be overread and calls him one of the league's better backups, a matchup-based option whenever Oettinger rests.
The workload is small and he is clearly the second goalie. He turns 35 this season per our data, and the supplied line has him allowing 9 goals on 80 shots in 3 games. ESPN's note says he struggled against New Jersey's aggressive attack in a 5-1 loss. His 2025-26 save percentage of .907 was lower than the .915 he posted in 2024-25, per hockeydb. Dallas's own forward-depth problems, which Daily Faceoff's power rankings (2 November) call crippling, could make his starts harder.
Where analysts split
broad agreement
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at G
Fantasy Memo reads your league and answers that every Monday, and checks your lineup on the days you play.
Connect your league: 14 days free