The Dallas Stars approach this 25-26 season with large expectations placed on them as the team looks to bring home the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1999.
Unfortunately for the contending squad, they have received a troubling injury update regarding one of their top forwards, Jamie Benn via GM Jim Nill. The 36 year old Victoria native will undergo surgery for a collapsed lung.
The positive though is he expected to make a full recovery through this. The timeline of said recovery is unknown at this point, but this will likely keep Benn out of the lineup for the long term future.
What does this mean for Dallas?
The impact of such a loss can not be overstated. Benn is the Stars trusted captain and leader in the room. And while he is getting up there in age, the man can still get the job done on the ice. Last year, he recorded 16 goals and 33 assists for 49 points in 80 games.
This temporary but lengthy loss will leave a hole in the Stars lineup that will be difficult to fill. The good news for Dallas is they have one of the deepest offensive rotations in the league that comes in handy in difficult situations such as this.
In the meantime, the Stars will wait patiently for Benn to return. In the vet's 16 year career in Dallas, he has amassed 399 goals and 547 assists for 956 points in 1,192 regular season games. In the playoffs, he has registered 28 goals and 52 assists in 120 games.