from Mac Engel of the Star-Telegram,

“When I talked about the guys I was proud of last season, he was one of them,” Nill said. “He was in the bubble and two months later he was back at it. He played some of his best hockey for us last season. He and [forward] Joe Pavelski both really battled and did everything they could.

“Jamie has had a great summer,” he said. “If there is a benefit to us not making the playoffs, it’s that he’s had time to rest and get completely healthy.”

Benn is under contract through the 2024-25 season, and his salary cap hit is $9.5 million every year of his deal. He’s not going anywhere just yet.

He’s not a liability, but he is also entering that point in his career where the team has to know he needs help. Even if he doesn’t want it. “How our team is composed might be able to help us manage him more,” Nill said. “I don’t know if it’s ‘load management,’ but we can spread it around.”

No player with the Dallas Stars deserves a Stanley Cup more than Jamie Benn.

No player could care, play, or fight, any harder than Jamie Benn.

But after 925 hard games, and 17,102 heavy minutes, there is a price.

more