Once again it’s that time of year here on Defending Big D where we take a look at each player that suited up for 25 or more games this season (and are still with the team) and take a look back at their season. What was good about it, what wasn’t so good, and the lasting impression they left us as we go into summer.
Key Stat: 10 – Jamie’s ten game point streak that started March 1st against the Coyotes and lasted until March 19th against the Ducks was the longest such streak in the NHL this past season. During that streak he racked up 8 goals and 9 assists with 2 of those goals being game winning goals. During that streak he also had 6 games in a row where he scored a goal which was tied for the second longest of the season in the NHL… All this almost immediately after he missed 10 games due to injury.
The Good: Take your pick: The shorthanded goals – all four of them of the highlight reel kind, the point streak in March, the fact he had points in 17 of his last 19 games and nearly willed the Stars into the playoffs by himself. I won’t spend much time on this part because I know many of you in the comments section will wax poetic on just how great Jamie has… umm… “Benn.”
The Bad: As much of a fan favorite Benn has become with Stars fans, there are still some flaws in his game which is to be expected of such a young player and the biggest issue of all his his streaky play. Yes he did have a super hot stretch of games in March but during the month of December had only managed one point in the span of 9 games (December 2 to December 18) and was a -4.
The Bottom Line: It’s very easy to get hyped up about the future of Jamie Benn, it’s probably in everyone’s best interest if the brakes are tapped a little going into his third season. There are going to be lots of questions asked of him in the new season: Will he shift over to play at center on a full time basis? Can Benn handle the pressure of being counted on as a key go-to player for the full season? How will he handle the idea of teams game planning with the specific idea of shutting him or his whole line down night in and night out? It’s going to be a lot to ask of a 22 year old and there may be nights he will struggle. How he – and the fans for that matter – will respond to those struggles will go a long way in helping us figure out if Benn will really be the future face of the franchise, or just another nice top six forward but nothing more.
The Vote: Rate Benn below on a scale of A to F (A being the best of course) based on his performance relative to his potential and your expectations for the season he was here.
How would you rate Jamie Benn’s season with the Stars?
| A | 365 |
| B | 65 |
| C | 99 |
| D | 152 |
| F | 172 |