Casual hockey fans might not know a lot about Jamie Benn.
He’s the captain and first-line left winger for the Dallas Stars, and he’s become one of the NHL’s top 10 players over the last two seasons.
His power forward-type of game that blends outstanding offensive skill and physical play makes him one of the most difficult players to defend. Benn, who played in all 82 games this season, led the league in scoring with 87 points (35 goals, 52 assists). Two of those goals propelled Dallas to a 5-3 win over the Boston Bruins on Feb. 10 at TD Garden.
Last week, he was named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award — given annually to the league’s most outstanding player as judged by NHLPA members — as a result of his excellent scoring production and defensive play.
Beyond the offensive talent Benn displays on each shift, there’s an incredible amount of toughness in his game. He’s not afraid to drop the gloves whether it’s to defend a teammate or spark his team.
“There’s nobody that wants to fight Jamie Benn,” Stars GM Jim Nill recently told Rich Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News. “I’ve seen it in so many buildings. The game gets a little bit rough, he kind of looks at somebody and the fire is put out.”
Benn has taken part in many memorable bouts, and several of them have included some of the game’s best players. For example, this fight against former Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla in December of 2010 is one of the best tussles between elite players since the 2004-05 lockout.
Thumbnail photo via Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports Images
