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.
I wouldn’t leave the choice to him , someone needs to be the adult in the room , yes you Mr Galardi and say enough is enough . JB was a great player but is now no longer that and his endless dumb penalties are tarnishing his greatness . Hoping that Seguin will be available for the play offs is also a hopeful expectation with his injury history . Him getting thru another 84 games is not likely
The regular season is - nothin. Especially with a cap team. The playoffs is everything and he can’t do it anymore. Not how they need him to. And he’s hurt em. And pretty badly the last four post seasons. What - Benn’s gonna be a positive factor in the playoffs next year? Based on what? Cmon. But it’s hockey - Nill doesn’t have the capacity for a sober evaluation there. You’ll have him again next year - if you’re someone who wants to see one more spring like that with him. I’ve seen plenty but - ok.
I'll admit to some sentimentality on my part here. ("I want to believe.") But given his potentially low cost amid their cap situation and the still-painful memories of Modano's departure, I guess I'm willing to rationalize one more decent regular season in hopes of a deeper group getting the job done in the postseason.
But as you say, even before this year's scoreless performance, he had a couple of less than great postseasons recently (2023 and 2025). This year was also scoreless, for him and most of the roster not on PP1. And I included the clip of his defenisve gaffe above to point out just how much even one lapse can hurt them.
It's emotional on both sides, I guess is where I'm at. Ultimately I think I'd rather take the big picture view and trust that if he decides to come back, he can find a way to channel Corey Perry in the postseason on a roster that doesn't need to ask too much of him. But there's very real risk attached to that, and it could certainly go wrong. My sentimental side gets in the way (to paraphrase Luther Vandross).
Don’t get emotional. This is business. That’s all it is. The biggest kind. It was time for Mike Modano to go. You don’t know all that went into that but I’m telling ya. Past time for Benn. Too much at stake to indulge his personal agenda for another season. You’ll probably get to see him though because hockey. Canada. GM. Etc.
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.
I would be fine with Benn returning. Don't know if there is a scenario where he returns but passes over captaincy to someone else or not.
Great article, thanks… I’m reminded of a Snoopy cartoon… something like
Linus -they’re saying you’ve slowed down
Snoopy :(
Linus -don’t worry, I told them you were never very fast
I wouldn’t leave the choice to him , someone needs to be the adult in the room , yes you Mr Galardi and say enough is enough . JB was a great player but is now no longer that and his endless dumb penalties are tarnishing his greatness . Hoping that Seguin will be available for the play offs is also a hopeful expectation with his injury history . Him getting thru another 84 games is not likely
The regular season is - nothin. Especially with a cap team. The playoffs is everything and he can’t do it anymore. Not how they need him to. And he’s hurt em. And pretty badly the last four post seasons. What - Benn’s gonna be a positive factor in the playoffs next year? Based on what? Cmon. But it’s hockey - Nill doesn’t have the capacity for a sober evaluation there. You’ll have him again next year - if you’re someone who wants to see one more spring like that with him. I’ve seen plenty but - ok.
I'll admit to some sentimentality on my part here. ("I want to believe.") But given his potentially low cost amid their cap situation and the still-painful memories of Modano's departure, I guess I'm willing to rationalize one more decent regular season in hopes of a deeper group getting the job done in the postseason.
But as you say, even before this year's scoreless performance, he had a couple of less than great postseasons recently (2023 and 2025). This year was also scoreless, for him and most of the roster not on PP1. And I included the clip of his defenisve gaffe above to point out just how much even one lapse can hurt them.
It's emotional on both sides, I guess is where I'm at. Ultimately I think I'd rather take the big picture view and trust that if he decides to come back, he can find a way to channel Corey Perry in the postseason on a roster that doesn't need to ask too much of him. But there's very real risk attached to that, and it could certainly go wrong. My sentimental side gets in the way (to paraphrase Luther Vandross).
Don’t get emotional. This is business. That’s all it is. The biggest kind. It was time for Mike Modano to go. You don’t know all that went into that but I’m telling ya. Past time for Benn. Too much at stake to indulge his personal agenda for another season. You’ll probably get to see him though because hockey. Canada. GM. Etc.