Expectations for 2026-27: Mysterious thing, time. It doesn’t seem long ago that Benn was a relatively unknown fifth-round pick taking the NHL by storm and cementing himself as one of the best power forwards of his generation. But the guy who skated alongside legends of the game such as Mike Modano, Jaromir Jagr and Joe Pavelski now finds himself in a similar position to his predecessors. Benn enters the 2026-27 season as the oldest player on the Stars at age 37. He sits on the doorstep of both 1,300 career games (48 away) and 1,000 career points (8 away) as he kicks off his 18th NHL season (and 14th as captain of the Stars). The veteran signed another one-year contract back on July 3, punting the question of retirement to the 2027 summer. With that, only one question seems to remain: how much does Benn have left in the tank? The answer seems to be plenty, at least on the surface. When Pete DeBoer was hired as head coach back in 2022, murmurs of Benn’s best days being behind him were circulating. He responded with a 33-goal, 78-point season that became known as the “Bennaisance.” Since then, he’s posted three straight campaigns with at least 15 goals and 35 points. While his days as a top-line playmaker have passed, he still carries vast potential as a depth piece. Last season, Benn’s 36 points were second-most among NHL players averaging under 13:30 in time on ice per game, and his 0.60 points per game ranked sixth among Stars forwards. A consistent dose of offensive production mixed with his trademark physicality and veteran leadership makes Benn a solid forward that any team would want for its bottom six. He could start the year alongside Sam Steel and Matt Duchene, reuniting a trio that quickly caught fire after getting together midway through last season. As long as he stays healthy, the captain could very well flirt with 20 goals and 45 points (if not more) as he once again attempts to guide the Stars to the top of the NHL mountain.
