Jamie Benn Wants to Remain With Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars were recently eliminated from the playoffs by the Edmonton Oilers in five games, and after making it to the Western Conference Final for the second season in a row and losing to the same opponent, they may look to shake things up this summer. While nobody expects a complete overhaul of their roster, they have some tough decisions to make with some key players on their roster, and one of them is Jamie Benn, who is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and could be a hot commodity if he hits the open market. Coming off a massive contract that had a $9.5 million cap hit, Benn will likely have to accept a huge discount, especially considering he made it clear he wants to continue playing for the Stars. 

Related: Dallas Stars’ Western Conference Flame-Out and the Signs That Were There

Benn, who is 35 years old, scored 16 goals and added 33 assists for 49 points through 80 games this season, which comes out to a 0.61 points-per-game average. Throughout his career, he has scored 399 goals and added 557 assists for 956 points through 1192 games, which comes out to a 0.80 points-per-game average. In the playoffs this season, he only scored one goal and added two assists for three points through 18 games. While he has slowed down a touch offensively, he is still a solid defensive forward and a great leader off the ice.

Benn’s lack of offensive production in the postseason may cost him a chance to remain with the Stars, especially if they look to go a different direction this summer and want to retool their roster. They won’t have much flexibility with their cap space unless they make some other moves, which makes Benn a potential cap casualty if he isn’t willing to accept a team-friendly deal and likely a lesser role.

What Other Teams Could Pursue Benn This Summer?

There will be plenty of interest in Benn if he hits the open market, specifically from contending teams looking to add veteran depth to their lineup. The Toronto Maple Leafs come to mind as a potential fit, considering they will likely have some extra money to spend with the expected losses of Mitchell Marner and John Tavares. The Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens also come to mind, but considering they are more of an outside team fighting to make the playoffs next season, Benn may not be as enticed to join them.

The Los Angeles Kings could also see what Benn is asking for and if they miss out on a big-name free agent like Marner, Brock Boeser, or Sam Bennett, they could consider giving Benn a solid offer to bring him in. The Oilers could also consider bringing him in, but with their cap situation, they may be forced to stay away unless Benn is open to taking an extreme discount to try and win a Stanley Cup.

At the end of the day, Benn wants to continue playing for the Stars, and it would be a surprise if he hits the open market. He will have a job next season if he hits the open market, but it’ll be interesting to see how his situation plays out this summer.

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