Being a captain in the NHL is a similar responsibility to quarterback of a football team. Most of the time, the skipper takes more than his fair share of blame in the bad times and the same for praise in the good times. The Stars‘ captain Jamie Benn is no exception to this rule.
Last season Benn won the Art Ross trophy with 87 points (35G 52A), so to say expectations were high entering the 2015-16 season would be the understatement of the year.
Benn did not disappoint.
The Dallas Skipper played all 82 games in the regular season and all 13 playoff games. Benn led the Stars in goals (41), tied Jon Klingberg for team lead in assists (48), led the team in power play goals (17!), time on ice for forwards (20:01 ATOI), point shares (12.1), and hits (156).
Not bad, eh?
This season Jamie Benn was better in nearly every statistical category, including points (89), than his run to the Art Ross last year. It was hard to fathom how he could have been much better, but he was.
The Stars’ captain has been nominated for the Hart Trophy (league MVP) with Patrick Kane and Sidney Crosby, and the Ted Lindsay Award (Most Outstanding Players voted by NHL Players) with Kane and Braden Holtby. Whether Benn takes home any of the hardware is inconsequential. The media and his peers alike both voted Benn one of the 3 best players in the game.
The Captain had a score adjusted Corsi for of 56.4 percent and averaged 3.2 points per 60 minutes played when you include his playoff games.
Looking at only the regular season, Benn’s score adjusted Corsi for was 56.9 percent. That is 82 NHL games of pure dominance. There were of course odd games where he got shelled. But as a general rule of thumb he was the best player on the ice. His advanced metrics confirm what the eyeball test told us: the guy can play.
As expected, the playoffs were a different animal. But without his running mate, Tyler Seguin, and anchored down by Cody Eakin, Benn still managed to remain a positive score-adjusted possession player in the post season at 51 percent.
All of those numbers (from our friends at War on Ice) are pretty incredible. Jamie Benn hasn’t been a secret in the NHL for 2 seasons and teams plan accordingly for him every game. To put up those sorts of numbers speaks to his superstar ability. For my money, he is the best hockey player in the world.
He was the team’s best power play goal scorer, killed penalties, was quick to blame himself after a loss, and was a great ambassador for the team.
Steven Stamkos‘ contract negotiations have been a grisly reminder to NHL executives everywhere. Benn’s contract will be a talking point until he inks a deal. He has publically said he wants to stay in Dallas and hopefully the team can get the deal done before the start of next season.
It doesn’t matter how you want to measure the success Benn had this season. Whether you want to use team performance or stats or intangible leadership qualities, the Stars’ Captain was a standout.
The playoffs are where players will ultimately be judged and Jamie Benn is no different. There are some that would call the playoff exit a disappointment, and that isn’t wrong given the resounding defeat in Game 7 against the Blues. But considering the first place finish in the Western Conference, and the injury troubles the team had down the stretch, this season exceeded a lot of preseason expectations. Given his role, the credit for that belongs (in part) to the performance of the team’s Captain.
How would you grade Jamie Benn’s 2015-16 season? Vote below!
How would you grade Jamie Benn’s 2015-16 season?
| A – Greatly exceeded expectations | 633 |
| B – Better than expected | 139 |
| C- Performed adequately | 9 |
| D – Underachieved | 1 |
| F – Failed to meet standards | 3 |