Shap Shots

Shap Shots

Share this post

Shap Shots
Shap Shots
It's been five years since the Stars burned the bridges with Benn and Seguin, why it all worked in the end

It's been five years since the Stars burned the bridges with Benn and Seguin, why it all worked in the end

A look back at the most expletive-laden breakdown of top players in franchise history.

Sean Shapiro's avatar
Sean Shapiro
Dec 27, 2023
∙ Paid
42

Share this post

Shap Shots
Shap Shots
It's been five years since the Stars burned the bridges with Benn and Seguin, why it all worked in the end
4
Share
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

In 49 BC Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River, after doing so he commanded his troops to burn the bridges.

It was a military strategy, it made it difficult for others to follow and took out an exit strategy for his Caesar’s troops. There was no turning back, the bridges have been burned, we move forward.

About 2067 years later I got a text from Dallas Stars head of PR Tom Holy at 9:19 am on Dec. 28, 2018.

It was a text to me, then the Stars beat writer, fellow Stars beat writer Matt DeFranks, and DallasStars.com writer Mike Heika. I still have it saved on my phone.

“Can the three of you be here at 12:15pm today? Jim Lites wants to talk to you three about a General mid-way point state of our team.”

I was the only one of us able to make it.

What transpired next is infamous in Dallas Stars history.

Lites and I sat down, exchanged holiday pleasantries, before he made it clear that this conversation was about his disproval with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. How they were holding the team back, and how their play was similar to horse excrement.

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Shap Shots to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Sean Shapiro
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share