- Jamie Benn re-signs with Dallas on a one-year deal worth $850,000, plus up to $1.15 million in bonuses
- The 36-year-old captain returns for an 18th season, all of it spent with the Stars
- Read below for what the bargain contract means for Dallas and the Jason Robertson situation
Jamie Benn isn’t going anywhere.
The Stars captain re-signed with Dallas on Friday, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $850,000 with another $1.15 million available in performance bonuses. It’s Benn’s 18th NHL season, every one of them in a Stars sweater.
That base number sits barely above the league minimum, and it’s no accident. Benn taking a discount hands Jim Nill room to maneuver while Dallas works to get Jason Robertson signed. The Stars already moved Mavrik Bourque to Nashville for the same reason.
Nill made it plain how much the captain means to the group:
“Jamie’s leadership and commitment to this organization is truly unmatched and he has helped define our culture,” Nill said. “He continues to set the standard on and off the ice, and we’re excited to have him leading our team for another season.”
Benn has worn the C since September 2013. He put up 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 60 games last season and went without a point across six playoff games as Dallas got bounced by the Wild in the first round.
Dallas felt that one. They had reached the Western Conference Final in each of the previous three seasons before the early exit.
Benn talked about that empty feeling at breakup day:
“Obviously, the goal is to win the Stanley Cup, and when you don’t do that there’s an empty space, a little pit in your stomach, where you have some fire to change things up for next year,” Benn said.
Benn sits second in Stars franchise history in games, goals and points, trailing only Mike Modano. He has 992 career points and needs just eight more to reach 1,000, a milestone he should hit early next season back in Dallas green.
