The Dallas Stars are one of the NHL's most consistently great teams, but they haven't won the Cup with this core. Can their captain lead them there before getting a new contract?
Welcome to the latest edition in THN.com’s NHL Hot Seat Radar series. The Dallas Stars are today's focus.
In this series, we’re identifying someone on the 'hot seat' who's facing a notable amount of pressure to generate solid results or deal with a fallout that could affect their current relationship with their team. We’re also featuring another person on the 'cold seat' as someone quite likely to stay with their team because they’re delivering on what the franchise wants from them.
With the Dallas Stars making it to the Western Conference final for the second straight season, it's arguable most players on the team are safe. But we can still find someone feeling pressure to produce more and lead the team further in the NHL playoffs.
Stars’ Hot Seat: Jamie Benn, LW
The 35-year-old Benn is Dallas’ second-highest-paid player at a cap hit of $9.5 million per season. He’s about to enter the final season of his eight-year, $76-million contract.
Benn’s numbers on offense dipped in 2023-24, from 33 goals and 78 points in 82 games of the 2022-23 NHL campaign to 21 goals and 60 points in 82 games this past season. That slide in production didn’t stick out as much because Dallas’ other forwards have been terrific, but Benn will have to take a pay cut in a contract extension. The only question will be how much of a cut he’ll be subject to.
Benn remains the Stars’ captain and one of the engines that power Dallas’ boat. But Father Time eventually takes its toll on all players, and Benn and the team are getting to the point where he must decide what’s more important – more deep playoff runs or one big-time payday.
We suspect he’ll choose the former, but Benn will still have to put in a solid performance in 2024-25 to show he can be one of the rare players who spends their entire lengthy NHL career with one organization. But if he really falls off in terms of his production, negotiations on another contract could get difficult.
Stars’ Cold Seat: Jim Nill, GM
In 2022-23 and 2023-24, Nill received the NHL’s GM of the year award after the Stars made it to the final four of the post-season for each of the past two seasons. That’s because Nill has been a master at putting together deep and balanced teams that are the envy of many other NHL franchises.
Whether it’s working with his draft and development group to acquire up-and-coming youngsters Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven and Thomas Harley, or signing veterans like forward Matt Duchene to high-value contracts with no long-term commitments, Nill has shone like a diamond in his profession. If he ever became dissatisfied with his situation in Texas, there would be a long lineup of NHL team owners ready and willing to hire him.
That isn’t going to happen, though, as Stars owner Tom Gaglardi knows how good he’s got it with Nill. The best days are still likely to come for this management group and the team itself.
Nill is only 66 years old – making him a relative kid in a line of work where Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello is pushing 82 years old – so Nill should be around for quite some time. That almost assuredly means the Stars are going to remain highly competitive, and that’s the best news Dallas fans can ask for.
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