When the Dallas Stars opened training camp at their practice home in Frisco in mid-September, the coaches came away talking about one player's conditioning. It was not a prospect. It was Jamie Benn, who is 37.
Benn signed a one-year contract in July: $850,000 in base salary, with up to $1.15 million more in performance bonuses. He has been captain since September 2013. This will be his 18th season, all of them in Dallas.
At the team's exit interviews in May, he had not yet decided whether he wanted to keep playing. He decided he did.
Where he stands in franchise history
Benn enters the season with 992 points in 1,252 games. He is second in franchise history in games, goals and points, behind only Mike Modano. Eight more points would make him the second player in team history to reach 1,000.
Last season he had 15 goals and 36 points in 60 games. NHL.com projects him on the third line this fall, with Matt Duchene and Justin Hryckowian.
The veteran core's crossroads
Benn is not the only long-time Star whose deal is running out. Tyler Seguin, 34, is in the final year of a contract that carries a $9.85 million cap hit, and he is coming back from a torn ACL that ended his season in December. Duchene is 35. Tyler Myers is 36.
That is a lot of experience in one dressing room, and a lot of it could turn over next summer, when Jason Robertson is also scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The Stars' salary cap sheet is tight enough that they are carrying the minimum 21-man roster to stay compliant.
What Benn still gives this team
The on-ice contribution is modest now. The rest is not. Benn's leadership was part of the run of three consecutive conference finals from 2023 to 2025, and the first-round loss to Minnesota last spring stung a room that expected more. Coach Glen Gulutzan said at the start of camp that the team was disappointed in itself.
