Benn removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol, can rejoin Stars

Jamie Benn rejoined the Dallas Stars after being removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol Tuesday.

The forward was the only player remaining in protocol after 10 players were removed Monday.
Forwards Radek Faksa, Luke Glendening, Roope Hintz, Joel Kiviranta, Michael Raffl and Jason Robertson, and defensemen Jani Hakanpää, Esa Lindell, Miro Heiskanen and Ryan Suter returned to practice, along with two support staff members.
The players could be available when the Stars are next scheduled to play, at home against the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
"Guys have been at different stages as far as how they've felt," Stars general manager Jim Nill told the Dallas Morning News. "Some guys have been real lethargic, other guys no problem at all. It's over the last 2-3 days that everybody's tested out. We had a big group test out today."

Joe Pavelski leads the Stars with 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 29 games. Robertson (25 points), Hintz (22 points), Heiskanen (18 points) and Benn (15 points) are their next four highest scorers. Heiskanen (24:32), Lindell (22:53) and Suter (22:48) average the most ice time.
"Will we be rusty? Who knows?" Nill said. "But we've got to go win games. It's just the way it is. Our guys have been good. We've dealt with this over the last two years."
The Stars (15-12-2) are sixth in the Central Division. They last played Dec. 20, a 7-4 win against the Minnesota Wild in Dallas, and have had six games postponed.
Since then, Hakanpaa entered protocol Dec. 24; Robertson, Raffl, Kiviranta, Heiskanen and Faksa on Dec. 26; Lindell and Hintz the next day; and Benn, Glendening and Suter on Dec. 29.

With the returning regulars, the Stars sent forwards Ty Dellandrea,
Rhett Gardner
and
Riley Tufte
, and goalie Adam Scheel to Texas of the American Hockey League on Tuesday.
Photo courtesy: Dallas Stars