Dallas Stars Daily Links: The Comeback Benn
The Stars have been winning a lot more recently, thanks in no small part to their captain. Plus, the Canucks’ return from COVID-19 protocol, fantasy hockey advice, and more.
The Dallas Stars are right back in the thick of the playoff race after going 6-2-2 in their past ten games. There’s many factors involved in that turnaround, but perhaps most prominently is the improved play of captain Jamie Benn:
“I think he’s been playing pretty good for a while now...” defenseman John Klingberg said... “Obviously, it’s great to see that he’s creating a little bit more, but I think he’s getting some bounces as well, which he deserves. He’s stuck with it for a while now, and it’s nice to see that the puck is bouncing a little bit his way as well this time.”
Benn has seven points in the team’s last six games, in which they’re 4-0-2. He may not be the dominating offensive force that he used to be, but when the captain is on his game, the rest of the team tends to follow:
“Jamie’s been playing fantastic. He’s been playing his heart out,” Stars coach Rick Bowness said Thursday night. “It all starts, to me, with Jamie. He drives the bus here. When he’s playing as hard as he has at center, then everyone else has to feed off of that.”
You can read more from Matthew DeFranks here.
Stars Stories
The Stars’ have a good shot at making the playoffs, but they need to capitalize on their next four games — all against the Detroit Red Wings — starting tonight:
GAME DAY!! Let's keep it rollin'
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) April 19, 2021
📍 Dallas
🕡 6:30 p.m. CT
📺 @BallySportsSW Plus, @NHLonNBCSports
📻 @dfwticket@Toyota | #GoStars pic.twitter.com/zp4Rox2zx7
And if they do end up making the postseason, that’ll be yet another plus to add to Jason Robertson’s Calder Trophy bid:
When Jason Robertson is on the ice at 5v5, the Stars score 4.05 goals per 60. That is third in the NHL among forwards with 500+ 5v5 mins.
— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) April 18, 2021
1. MacKinnon
2. Stephenson
3. Robertson
4. Rantanen
5. Stone
6. Pacioretty
7. Barzal
8. Draisaitl
9. Bergeron
10. McDavid
From @NatStatTrick
Around the League
The Vancouver Canucks won their first game back from COVID-19 protocols, but they were missing quite the number of players:
Green's Canucks missing 'eight or nine' regulars https://t.co/V1xJpwM5df
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 18, 2021
Dallas has a few dark horses on this list of biggest season surprises:
With the stretch run of the 2020-21 season underway, here are 10 players we didn't expect to see among the NHL's elite at this point in the year.https://t.co/OpDLcNyxxE
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) April 18, 2021
DownGoesBrown talks about major records and more as Patrick Marleau is about to set the record for most NHL games played:
Weekend rankings: Marleau's record, a new team cracks the top five, and just how worried should we be about the Habs? https://t.co/bYIMOR3IFo pic.twitter.com/d0u1goIO0m
— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) April 19, 2021
Finally, here’s some fantasy hockey advice to help you for the final stretch:
Nick Foligno will be a worthwhile addition to your lineup once he completes his quarantine and joins the Maple Leafs.@thegoldenmuzzy explains why in his latest 20 Fantasy Thoughts column.https://t.co/5OHA5tuE0C
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 18, 2021
