Dallas Stars Sign Jamie Benn to 1-Year Deal

Benn, the Stars’ captain since 2013-14, will be 36 when the 2025-26 season rolls around. He is a franchise pillar, playing all 16 seasons of his NHL career with the team that drafted him 129^th overall in 2007.

How Benn Did in 2024-25

Benn has been a consistent contributor since the 2019-20 season, except for his 33-goal, 78-point output in 2022-23. His performance in 2024-25, with 16 goals and 49 points, is more in line with his production over the last six seasons.

Benn is no longer a premier power forward in the league but rather a complementary piece who can score 25 goals in a good season. However, in 18 playoff games this season, he managed just a goal and two assists while averaging 13:06 per game, a considerable drop from his 17:08 the season before.

What Benn Brings to the Table

At 35 years old, Benn is not the same player he was at his peak, which includes an Art Ross win (with 89 points, but that’s another topic of conversation). Aside from 2022-23, he has only scored more than 53 points once since 2017-18; a season of 70-80 points is not in the cards for him anymore.

That said, Benn is still a tough-as-nails winger who can play physical, get in the opposition’s face, and chip in with 15-20 goals and 40-45 points. He also seems to be fully healthy after dealing with some health issues a few seasons ago, having suited up in 80 or more games in each of the past four campaigns.

More than anything, he brings leadership and experience to the table. When the playoffs come, his capabilities remain to be seen. Having him back, even in a third-line role, will solidify Dallas’ bottom six.

How Benn Fits With the Stars

Benn is a role player at this stage of his career. He still throws the body around–114 hits last season–and can be a reliable third-line option who can dabble on the second line and provide secondary scoring.

His days of being a driver are over, and he shouldn’t see any power-play time, given all the offensive talent on the roster. Realistically, it may be optimistic to expect him to reach 25 goals when his actual production will likely be closer to 15-ish goals and 35-40 points in a reduced role. At this stage of his career, management should work with him to make him a Star for life because he’s done more than enough to earn it.