Sean--the best case scenario for all parties is for the Stars to win the Stanley Cup, and then for Jamie to retire, become a full time Dad and join the front office in some capacity. That's what I'm hoping for. They need his $9 million of cap space to pay others and get younger. We're 10 wins away from this goal!
Love the article Sean. I also understand the mindset, especially with recency bias rearing its ugly head, of the Modano/Red Wings year. As someone who was a fan when the team moved here and has remained one, I was not upset with Modano leaving for Detroit. From a fan perspective, it was his time to go. With Benn, I am starting to feel the same way, but think he still has intangibles that aren't felt on the ice, similar to Pavelski. If he wants to play another year, then I'm fine to bring him back as long as the money makes sense. If he leaves to go elsewhere, it won't be fan betrayal to me. We're talking about the second resurgence of his career, not trading or letting him walk in his "Sochi Benn" days. While I know Nill is extremely loyal, he knows it is a business as well. Stankoven learned that the hard way this year. Time will tell how this year ends and if that factors into the roster.
Really enjoyed this read - I grew up in Austin, primarily with a fandom focused on College Sports (Boomer Sooner) with some small interest in the Spurs & Astros/Rangers. However, the first “local” pro sports team I became a die-hard for was the Dallas Stars. It started when the Texas Stars franchise was established. I didn’t attend a regular season game that first year, but I attended a 1st round playoff game where some young kid named Jamie Benn began leading the Stars on an incredible run to the Calder Cup Final. I attended every home game from the 2nd round on (including all 3 home losses after going up 2-0 on Hershey). From there I became a season ticket (partial plan) holder for the first time in my life until I left for college. Many guys were AHL stalwarts (Travis Morin, Max Fortunus) but many others began their journey to the NHL playing in front of me. As they graduated to full-time NHL status, and I graduated high school and crossed state lines my Texas Stars fandom morphed into a Dallas Stars fan. Timing my trips home around stops in Dallas to catch a game.
Jamie Benn brought me to hockey. The Stars AHL/NHL franchise hooked me for life.
I hear what you're saying but I'm with others regarding Benn. He's enjoyed a full career here as a Stars player. But he looks done. If he can come back at a vet minimum or something similar that's worth exploring. But I would be against giving a 4th-liner $5M (the number I've heard thrown around for his next contract).
If he moves on then I think we all thank him and remember him fondly. No one blamed Modano when he left and I honestly think if you asked the avg Stars fan if Modano played for any other team many would not remember he played for Detroit.
There's a huge difference between Emmitt Smith playing for the Cardinals or Tony Dorsett ending his career as a Broncos and Luka being traded away at the (seeming) height of his powers. Aged superstars often spend a year or two away from their main team; it's not ideal but fans will not react the same way to Benn potentially leaving as they did to Luka.
How fun that you mention being a Mets fan. I am decidedly not a Mets fan but I have fallen in love with Citi Field. One reason I’m skipping the game tonight is because I have an early flight tomorrow to New York where I will go to watch the Mets play the Pirates. (Now the reason for this trip is to try to get Andrew Heaney to sign a 2023 World Series ball but that’s beside the point.)
Growing up in Oklahoma in the 60's, 70's and 80's, the closest thing we had to a professional team were the Sooners. But early in grade school, my first ever professional team fandom came in the form of the Washington Redskins, probably because they were the biggest rival of the Cowboys is the only reason I can think why (in Oklahoma, I was raised with Texas as a sports enemy). I've loved them through everything including the recent years of no playoffs. But the year before last, I did the unthinkable, something I had never done before, I disavowed myself from them. I had all I could stand from Snyder, and I couldn't stands no more. I was a free-agent in the NFL team fandom market. He was an owner that should be wearing an orange jumpsuit and was destroying the franchise in so many ways. I was in the stadium when they retired Sean Taylor's #21, and it was horrible. I felt bad for the family because of how the halftime presentation was done. Frankly, it would've been better had they not done it at all, it was that disrespectful.
My free agency only lasted the year because Snyder was ousted and in comes Josh Harris. Complete reversal, now there are good things happening, and I don't have any moral qualms about them anymore. I am a Redskins/Football Team/Commanders fan again. So my one person being there caused me to bail. And once he was gone, I was back. And now I actually have empathy for Cowboys fans because I know what you're going through. It sucks, man, it sucks hard, and I hope someday, they'll be freed from the dark cloud they're stuck under.
Thanks Sean - Great Article! I lived in NYC in the 80's and caught several 86 series games live including the Game 6 comeback when Buckner committed the error at 1st Base. Been in Dallas now for many years and I am one of those connected to Benn via Modano. Seeing Modano go to Detroit really killed me. Hope I don't have to live through that again with Benn! Aging myself here but wanted you know how much your take resonated👍
Sean--the best case scenario for all parties is for the Stars to win the Stanley Cup, and then for Jamie to retire, become a full time Dad and join the front office in some capacity. That's what I'm hoping for. They need his $9 million of cap space to pay others and get younger. We're 10 wins away from this goal!
Love the article Sean. I also understand the mindset, especially with recency bias rearing its ugly head, of the Modano/Red Wings year. As someone who was a fan when the team moved here and has remained one, I was not upset with Modano leaving for Detroit. From a fan perspective, it was his time to go. With Benn, I am starting to feel the same way, but think he still has intangibles that aren't felt on the ice, similar to Pavelski. If he wants to play another year, then I'm fine to bring him back as long as the money makes sense. If he leaves to go elsewhere, it won't be fan betrayal to me. We're talking about the second resurgence of his career, not trading or letting him walk in his "Sochi Benn" days. While I know Nill is extremely loyal, he knows it is a business as well. Stankoven learned that the hard way this year. Time will tell how this year ends and if that factors into the roster.
Really enjoyed this read - I grew up in Austin, primarily with a fandom focused on College Sports (Boomer Sooner) with some small interest in the Spurs & Astros/Rangers. However, the first “local” pro sports team I became a die-hard for was the Dallas Stars. It started when the Texas Stars franchise was established. I didn’t attend a regular season game that first year, but I attended a 1st round playoff game where some young kid named Jamie Benn began leading the Stars on an incredible run to the Calder Cup Final. I attended every home game from the 2nd round on (including all 3 home losses after going up 2-0 on Hershey). From there I became a season ticket (partial plan) holder for the first time in my life until I left for college. Many guys were AHL stalwarts (Travis Morin, Max Fortunus) but many others began their journey to the NHL playing in front of me. As they graduated to full-time NHL status, and I graduated high school and crossed state lines my Texas Stars fandom morphed into a Dallas Stars fan. Timing my trips home around stops in Dallas to catch a game.
Jamie Benn brought me to hockey. The Stars AHL/NHL franchise hooked me for life.
I’ve since been fortunate to live in RDU & currently Seattle and just hope my schedule and wallet allow me to see the Stars when they are in town.
Love the article. I was connected to the Mets becuase of Tom Seaver. My brother, 10 years younger, was connected to the Mets becuase of Dwight Gooden
I hear what you're saying but I'm with others regarding Benn. He's enjoyed a full career here as a Stars player. But he looks done. If he can come back at a vet minimum or something similar that's worth exploring. But I would be against giving a 4th-liner $5M (the number I've heard thrown around for his next contract).
If he moves on then I think we all thank him and remember him fondly. No one blamed Modano when he left and I honestly think if you asked the avg Stars fan if Modano played for any other team many would not remember he played for Detroit.
There's a huge difference between Emmitt Smith playing for the Cardinals or Tony Dorsett ending his career as a Broncos and Luka being traded away at the (seeming) height of his powers. Aged superstars often spend a year or two away from their main team; it's not ideal but fans will not react the same way to Benn potentially leaving as they did to Luka.
How fun that you mention being a Mets fan. I am decidedly not a Mets fan but I have fallen in love with Citi Field. One reason I’m skipping the game tonight is because I have an early flight tomorrow to New York where I will go to watch the Mets play the Pirates. (Now the reason for this trip is to try to get Andrew Heaney to sign a 2023 World Series ball but that’s beside the point.)
Growing up in Oklahoma in the 60's, 70's and 80's, the closest thing we had to a professional team were the Sooners. But early in grade school, my first ever professional team fandom came in the form of the Washington Redskins, probably because they were the biggest rival of the Cowboys is the only reason I can think why (in Oklahoma, I was raised with Texas as a sports enemy). I've loved them through everything including the recent years of no playoffs. But the year before last, I did the unthinkable, something I had never done before, I disavowed myself from them. I had all I could stand from Snyder, and I couldn't stands no more. I was a free-agent in the NFL team fandom market. He was an owner that should be wearing an orange jumpsuit and was destroying the franchise in so many ways. I was in the stadium when they retired Sean Taylor's #21, and it was horrible. I felt bad for the family because of how the halftime presentation was done. Frankly, it would've been better had they not done it at all, it was that disrespectful.
My free agency only lasted the year because Snyder was ousted and in comes Josh Harris. Complete reversal, now there are good things happening, and I don't have any moral qualms about them anymore. I am a Redskins/Football Team/Commanders fan again. So my one person being there caused me to bail. And once he was gone, I was back. And now I actually have empathy for Cowboys fans because I know what you're going through. It sucks, man, it sucks hard, and I hope someday, they'll be freed from the dark cloud they're stuck under.
Thanks Sean - Great Article! I lived in NYC in the 80's and caught several 86 series games live including the Game 6 comeback when Buckner committed the error at 1st Base. Been in Dallas now for many years and I am one of those connected to Benn via Modano. Seeing Modano go to Detroit really killed me. Hope I don't have to live through that again with Benn! Aging myself here but wanted you know how much your take resonated👍