This was outstanding! Benn is a catalyst one way or the other and everyone has an opinion. Thank you for your approach- yes, appreciation and celebration of his career here, but also analysis of his remarkable statistics from last season. Great article!
HOW DARE YOU MENTION HINTZ ONLY PLAYING 53 GAMES?!?!
I kid
I think legacy is a tricky thing, and I think for a lot of fans, their view of Benn is probably tied into WHEN they became Stars fans.
As you bring up, those around for the pre and during bankruptcy era were truly in the trenches in terms of searching for players to latch onto and feel things for.
What’s that line from which Nolan Batman movie? You either die a hero or live long enough to become a villain?
I always think about Benn in this context. Which is not to say he has become a villain by any means, but every year his ratio of penalty minutes to TOI goes up and every post season he does a Dumb Thing it gets harder and harder to see those old golden glory days quite as brightly. And maybe part of that is me becoming a Stars fan post-pandemic, so I missed out on a LOT of the lows and the highs.
But just as the game itself changes- younger, faster, more skilled players- so too does fandom and fans.
I take your point that Benn on the team isn’t blocking some bright prospect but I actually wonder- would he be?
I know a lot is going to depend on the trades and contracts of Robertson and Bourque (please let those contracts both be for Dallas) but what about players like Hyry or even Hemming?
Dallas WILL be cap strapped. Maybe Hemming needs a year in the AHL, but Hyry I would very passionately argue can be an immediate benefit to the Stars and if I were him or his agent that’s kind of what I would be demanding.
Last thought (for now, sorry I will probably bother you again like I always do): Pavelski.
His final season wasn’t even BAD. His final playoffs wasn’t even BAD.
But he knew it wasn’t good enough and he knew it wasn’t going to get better.
I think part of why so many Stars fans think of him so fondly is because he made the decision to hang up the skates before his career stretched into something that was only a glimmer of What He Once Was.
Benn has done a hell of a lot for this team and these players and hockey in the south and I don’t think he gets the credit he’s earned for all of that (not from me, among others because I’ve always been lukewarm on him), and I agree he’s earned the right to make that call.
I just think he can better serve the Stars by stepping into a development role and letting this team evolve into the next iteration.
I’m surprised by how much negativity I’ve seen around Benn this offseason. Immediately after the season I hoped he’d choose to retire (emphasis on choose), but now I sort of want to see one last playoff run with him and Seguin. A few years ago he crossed the line from “more seasons with Jamie Benn than seasons without him” for me and he was such a bright spot during the worst years of the franchise. Whatever bad turnovers or penalties he’s had recently, I’m gonna miss him whenever he hangs it up.
pitchforks and torches!
you captured many of my thoughts and feelings regarding this player and juncture. I enjoyed reading this one.
This was outstanding! Benn is a catalyst one way or the other and everyone has an opinion. Thank you for your approach- yes, appreciation and celebration of his career here, but also analysis of his remarkable statistics from last season. Great article!
HOW DARE YOU MENTION HINTZ ONLY PLAYING 53 GAMES?!?!
I kid
I think legacy is a tricky thing, and I think for a lot of fans, their view of Benn is probably tied into WHEN they became Stars fans.
As you bring up, those around for the pre and during bankruptcy era were truly in the trenches in terms of searching for players to latch onto and feel things for.
What’s that line from which Nolan Batman movie? You either die a hero or live long enough to become a villain?
I always think about Benn in this context. Which is not to say he has become a villain by any means, but every year his ratio of penalty minutes to TOI goes up and every post season he does a Dumb Thing it gets harder and harder to see those old golden glory days quite as brightly. And maybe part of that is me becoming a Stars fan post-pandemic, so I missed out on a LOT of the lows and the highs.
But just as the game itself changes- younger, faster, more skilled players- so too does fandom and fans.
I take your point that Benn on the team isn’t blocking some bright prospect but I actually wonder- would he be?
I know a lot is going to depend on the trades and contracts of Robertson and Bourque (please let those contracts both be for Dallas) but what about players like Hyry or even Hemming?
Dallas WILL be cap strapped. Maybe Hemming needs a year in the AHL, but Hyry I would very passionately argue can be an immediate benefit to the Stars and if I were him or his agent that’s kind of what I would be demanding.
Last thought (for now, sorry I will probably bother you again like I always do): Pavelski.
His final season wasn’t even BAD. His final playoffs wasn’t even BAD.
But he knew it wasn’t good enough and he knew it wasn’t going to get better.
I think part of why so many Stars fans think of him so fondly is because he made the decision to hang up the skates before his career stretched into something that was only a glimmer of What He Once Was.
Benn has done a hell of a lot for this team and these players and hockey in the south and I don’t think he gets the credit he’s earned for all of that (not from me, among others because I’ve always been lukewarm on him), and I agree he’s earned the right to make that call.
I just think he can better serve the Stars by stepping into a development role and letting this team evolve into the next iteration.
I remember how gutted I felt when the Stars let Modano walk and I had to see him in a Red Wings sweater! I do not want that to happen again!
I’m surprised by how much negativity I’ve seen around Benn this offseason. Immediately after the season I hoped he’d choose to retire (emphasis on choose), but now I sort of want to see one last playoff run with him and Seguin. A few years ago he crossed the line from “more seasons with Jamie Benn than seasons without him” for me and he was such a bright spot during the worst years of the franchise. Whatever bad turnovers or penalties he’s had recently, I’m gonna miss him whenever he hangs it up.