Benn was drafted by the Dallas Stars 129th overall in the 2007 NHL entry draft from the Victoria Grizzlies. Following his draft, Benn began his major junior career with the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL. He scored 65 points in his rookie season in 2007–08, then improved to a team-high 46 goals along with 36 assists for 82 points in 56 games in the 2008–09 season. After being named to the WHL West first All-Star team, Benn paced the Rockets with a playoff-leading 33 points en route to the 2009 Ed Chynoweth Cup title. In the subsequent 2009 Memorial Cup tournament, held in Rimouski, Quebec, Benn notched a four-goal game and added an assist in the second round-robin match against the Drummondville Voltigeurs, a 6–4 win, to secure the Rockets a berth in the tournament final. Although the Rockets lost to the Windsor Spitfires 4–1 in the Final, Benn was named to the Tournament All-Star team, along with teammate Tyler Myers.[2]
Dallas Stars (2009–present)
Early seasons in Dallas (2009–2013)
Benn with the Stars in October 2009. The 2009–10 season was his rookie season in the NHL.
Benn made the Dallas Stars' roster for the 2009–10 season and made his NHL debut in the season opener on October 3, 2009 in a 3–2 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators.[3] Benn and scored his first NHL goal in his fourth NHL game on October 11 against Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks. Benn tied the score 3–3 late in the game, but the Stars lost 4–3 later in the shootout.[4]
After playing all 82 games for the Stars in 2009–10, his rookie season, he was sent down to the Stars' AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, for the 2010 Calder Cup playoffs. He scored 14 goals, 12 assists and had 26 points in 24 playoffs games as Texas fell to the Hershey Bears in the Calder Cup Finals. Benn later spoke of the experience, "I had a fun summer here...it was a big part of my hockey career and helped me develop my game. I definitely loved playing here."[5]
Following the absence of teammate Brad Richards due to a concussion, Benn took a leading role with the Stars in February 2011. During the All Star Game's SuperSkills Competition, Benn participated in the Accuracy Shooting contest and won his leg against Tampa Bay Lightning star forward Steven Stamkos then the finals against Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matt Read with times of 13.583 and 10.204 seconds respectively. [citation needed]
With the 2012–13 season delayed due to the labour lock-out, Benn signed a contract for the duration of the dispute with the Hamburg Freezers of the German DEL on October 2, 2012.[6] Unable to initially agree to a contract with the Stars, Benn missed the first four games of the shortened NHL season before re-signing to a five-year, $26.25 million contract on January 24, 2013. On March 18, Benn recorded his 100th NHL assist on a Loui Eriksson goal in a 4–3 win over the Calgary Flames.[7]
Rising team and individual success, beginning captaincy (2013–2023)
Benn with the Stars in February 2014. Benn was named the captain of the Stars during the 2013 off-season.
Benn was named the sixth captain of the Dallas Stars on September 19, 2013.[8] On January 23, 2014, Benn recorded his 100th NHL goal in a 7–1 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs.[9] During the 2013–14 season, his fifth NHL season and first year of captaincy, Benn had his first breakout season as he recorded 34 goals, 45 assists and 79 points in 80 games to help the Stars clinch a playoff spot for the first time with him on the team, finishing as the eighth and final seed in the West. Benn made his Stanley Cup playoff debut on April 16 against the Anaheim Ducks and scored his first playoff goal on Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen.[10] The Stars would eventually get defeated in the opening round of the 2014 playoffs by the top seeded Ducks in six games.
On February 17, 2015, Benn scored his first career hat trick in a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues.[11] On March 23, Benn recorded his 200th NHL assist on a goal by Patrick Eaves in a 4–3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.[12] On April 11, Benn scored 4 points in the Stars' last regular season game to finish with 87 points on the season and win the Art Ross Trophy. His final point, a secondary assist on a goal by Cody Eakin with 8.5 seconds left in the game, allowed him to overtake New York Islanders forward and captain John Tavares for the award.[13] Benn finished the 2014–15 season playing in all 82 contests with 35 goals, 52 assists and 87 points, which were all career highs. Benn was named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award as the most outstanding player which ultimately went to Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price.[14]
After recording a career high 41 goals along with 48 assists for a career high 89 points in all 82 games played in the 2015–16 season, Benn was named a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy for the first time in his career and was also a finalist the Ted Lindsay Award for the second consecutive season, which both were eventually awarded to Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane.[15][16] Benn's 89 points made him the runner-up for the Art Ross Trophy only behind Kane's 106 points.[17]
On July 15, 2016, Benn agreed to an eight-year, $76 million contract extension with Dallas that runs through the 2024–25 NHL season at an average annual value of $9.5 million.[18] On December 8, Benn recorded his 200th NHL goal in a 5–2 win over the Nashville Predators on Predators' goaltender Pekka Rinne.[19]
On April 8, 2021, Benn recorded his 400th career NHL assist on a goal by Roope Hintz in a 5–1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.[22]
On February 6, 2023, Benn played his 1,000th NHL game. He is the second player to play all 1,000 games with the Stars, after Mike Modano.[23] Benn finished the 2022–23 season playing all 82 games with 33 goals, 45 assists and 78 points recorded. During the 2023 playoffs in the third round, Benn was suspended for two games after landing on Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone with his stick in Game 3. He was assessed a game misconduct and ejected from the game.[24][25] After missing games 4 and 5 due to the suspension, Benn returned to the lineup for game 6 of the Western Conference Final which the Stars lost the game 6–0 and the series 4–2 by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights.
Recent years (2023–present)
On December 11, 2023, Benn recorded his 500th NHL assist on a goal by Miro Heiskanen in a 6–3 win over the Detroit Red Wings.[26] Benn would finish the 2023–24 season with 21 goals, 39 assists for 60 points in all 82 contests as the Stars as a team clinched the top seed in the Western Conference.[27] In the 2024 playoffs, Benn and the Stars would go on another lengthy run as they would make a second consecutive Western Conference Final and third in his career and captaincy by defeating the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights in seven games in the opening round followed by a second round victory in six games over the Colorado Avalanche before getting defeated in the Western Conference Finals in six games for a second consecutive year, this time to the Edmonton Oilers.[28] Benn finished the playoffs with four goals and 11 assists for 15 points in all 19 playoff games.
On January 7, 2014, Benn was named to the Canadian Olympic hockey team for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi despite not being invited to the orientation camp during the summer of 2013.[29] In his first game as an Olympian, Benn scored the game-winning goal in Canada's first game against Norway in a 3–1 victory.[30] He scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against the United States in the semi-final, to advance Canada to the gold medal game, where they eventually beat Sweden 3–0.
Personal life
Benn is the younger brother of defencemanJordie Benn. The brothers previously played alongside one another on the Dallas Stars.[31]
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