Dallas Stars Daily Links: Jamie Benn's Punishment Will Be Limited to Fine

In the moment at the American Airlines Center Thursday night it felt as though Jamie Benn's unwarranted cross-check of Ryan Jones would result in significant league action on Brendan Shanahan's part, but the NHL took the drama out of today's disciplinary hearing, saying that only a fine would be levied.

The NHL released this yesterday

Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn will have a fine hearing Saturday for a cross-checking incident during Thursday's game against the Edmonton Oilers.

At 16:00 of the third period, Benn was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for a hit on the Oilers' Ryan Jones.

As per the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Benn will have a fine hearing since half of his daily salary would be in excess of $5,000, the maximum fine amount.

So it will be a costly day for Jamie Benn's wallet, but not for the team's hopes against St. Louis tomorrow.

Mike Heika wonders if it's a necessary kick in the pants, and symbolic of a larger issue.

But the Stars center does expect to receive a pretty good talking-to from the NHL's director of player safety, Brendan Shanahan, in a phone review Saturday that could include a fine.

And that could be a good thing for the Stars. [DMN]

Read his exposition here, where he notes, as we have many times, that the Stars seemingly got rid of high penalty minutes players purposefully in the off-season and find themselves the most penalized team once again.

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• According to this list the Stars rank just 24th in number of Twitter followers. So get on it. [Wall Street Journal]
• Michael Ryder got on a plane and went to Toronto Wednesday to play for the Canadiens, then got on a plane and came back to Dallas to get some things, then got on a plane and flew to Montreal the day after that where he couldn't find the dressing room at the practice facility because it wasn't in use when he was there previously. Trades are hard. [Montreal Gazette]
• James Mirtle is estimating that it will take 56 points to make the playoffs in the West. For Dallas that would mean finishing something like 15-8-4, earning 34 out of a possible 54 points remaining, and playing .629 hockey, or roughly about as well as the Vancouver Canucks have so far this season. As has been the case in recent years... that is a pretty tall order. [Twitter]
• Mark Stepneski says the Stars goals against average and save percentages ranked 25th in the league in the month of February. It is a little difficult to believe that five other teams experiences worse play in those areas, but it's a reminder that things can always be worse? [Inside Edge]
• The Texas Stars hit a bit of a stumbling block this week, getting shut-out last night and losing their second straight in regulation. The good news is that Stephen says that's the first time that's happened since early November. [Hundred Degree Hockey]
• The Calgary Flames were (again?) the laughingstock of the hockey world Friday when it was revealed that their offer-sheet to Ryan O'Reilly, had the Avalanche declined to match, would have necessitated his passing through waivers, where he would have no doubt been claimed, causing them to lose the player and the picks. The Calgary Sun wonders if heads will roll because of that near folly... [Calgary Sun]
• The Central flexed its muscles yet again last night with big wins for the Blackhawks and Blues. Moving in with those teams is scary. [Puck Daddy]
• Scott Burnside says the complaining (whining) about officiating in the league must stop. [ESPN]
• Now watch as Jim Cornelison, anthem singer for Blackhawks home games, shatters beer glasses with nothing but his voice while singing "Take me out to the ballgame", via Puck Daddy...