NHL Update: Casey DeSmith takes personal leave, Remi Poirier called up by Dallas Stars

On Saturday, the Dallas Stars made a significant change in their player lineup by announcing that the goaltender Casey DeSmith was allowed to take a personal leave of absence to deal with a family issue. The team was already near the top of the NHL standings; hence, the move made it imperative to look for a new goaltender, as Dallas had a match against Montreal coming up.

The Stars decided to recall Remi Poirier from their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, so that he could replace DeSmith. This move guarantees that there will be safety and security behind the starter Jake Oettinger, particularly since Dallas has been acknowledged as one of the league’s most consistent teams this season. Currently, there is no fixed date for DeSmith’s return; hence, the situation in the crease will be monitored closely in the coming days.

How Dallas Stars’ Goaltending plans are affected by Casey DeSmith’s absence

DeSmith has been a dependable player for the Stars in 2022-2023, winning 9 games, losing 2, and 4 games in overtime, with the average goals allowed being 2.44 and the save percentage being 91.2%. His consistent play featured the performance of a shutout against the Canadiens in November, along with a period in which he accumulated points in 13 consecutive starts, which positioned the team among the league’s strongest goaltending duos.
Poirier gets to fill in DeSmith’s spot. The 24-year-old has been with the Texas Stars for the past few seasons, contributing to their making it to the Calder Cup Playoffs regularly. This season, he has had a 2.77 GAA and a .903 save percentage in the AHL. For the time being, he will serve as Oettinger’s backup as long as DeSmith is not available.

The absence of Casey DeSmith for a short period of time results in a small alteration, but the Stars are still in a healthy state due to the organization’s depth and the great performance of Oettinger. By calling up Remi Poirier, the team is offering him a very valuable opportunity, and at the same time, Dallas is trying to maintain its good performance during the period of DeSmith’s absence while not letting the Central Division rivalry slip.

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