Jamie Benn is skating into new territory for the Dallas Stars, adding to his franchise record with 1,265 games played while sitting just four shy of 1,000 career points at age 37.
Slimmed Down and Skating Fast in Dallas
Conventional wisdom suggests a veteran forward logging his 37th year should be losing a step. Yet, the eye test and the physical metrics tell a different story in Texas. Benn dedicated himself to losing weight over the summer. Stars coach Glen Gulutzan noted before the season that the 6-3 forward was as thin as he had ever seen him, a change that has allowed Benn to look lighter and play quicker this year.
That physical turnaround has kept him firmly in the mix despite seeing his ice time dip to a career-low 12:20 per game, down from 13:17 last season. On Thursday, that mobility paid off when he converted a sharp pass from Rantanen for a crucial goal, spending key minutes alongside Rantanen and Wyatt Johnston.
“I thought Jamie has had good legs the last couple of games,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “He’s skating really well.”
Teammate Tyler Seguin, who has shared the core of the Dallas attack with Benn since Seguin was acquired in 2013, sees the veteran’s preparation driving the younger room. “He’s great,” Seguin said. “He shows us the way with how hard he works.”
Injuries Force Expanded Role for Benn
Even with the renewed quickness, production has been measured with just four points—two goals and two assists—across 13 games this season. However, the Stars currently have a depleted forward group dealing with injuries to Duchene, Radek Faksa, Oskar Bäck, and until recently, Sam Steel. That thin lineup means Benn is due for an expanded role and more minutes moving forward, a challenge Gulutzan is fully prepared to assign.
“He can still do it,” Gulutzan said. “We just need everybody doing it.”
Help is on the horizon for the broader roster. Faksa is nearing a return, and free agent Perron is almost ready to make his debut with his new team. Meanwhile, defenseman Esa Lindell participated in practice on Friday, leaving open the possibility of returning to the lineup for Saturday’s matchup against Columbus.
“I think we’ll see one, if not two, of those three,” Gulutzan said regarding the incoming returnees. “We just don’t know which one yet.”
