The captain’s not going anywhere.
Jamie Benn – the heart-and-soul forward who’s been a Dallas Star since the day he was drafted nearly two decades ago – is sticking around for at least one more season.
The Stars signed the 35-year-old to a one-year extension worth a base of $1 million, with an additional $3 million in performance bonuses, keeping him in Victory Green through the 2025-26 season.
A proud product of the Peninsula, Benn’s roots run deep on Vancouver Island.
Before his NHL days, he suited up for the Peninsula Panthers, Victoria Salsa and Victoria Grizzlies – a junior hockey journey that set the stage for a career spent climbing franchise record books in Dallas.
“Jamie embodies everything it means to be a Dallas Star, and has since he was drafted 18 years ago,” said general manager Jim Nill in a press release. “There was never a doubt that Jamie would return next season, and we are thrilled for both our organization and our fans that he will continue to lead our team in our pursuit of winning a championship.”
Benn is coming off his 16th NHL season, which saw him post 49 points – marking the 13th time in his career he’s hit the 40-point plateau.
Originally selected 129th overall in 2007, the 6'3" forward has built one of the great careers to come out of that draft class, second in points only to Patrick Kane.
“I don’t see myself going anywhere else,” Benn said in an article from the Dallas Stars. “This is all I know. I came in as a young kid, and now I’m getting a little older here. I love the city, I love the fans, I love this organization and I love my teammates.”
Now heading into his 17th season, Benn remains the tone-setter in Dallas.
“I just try to lead by example by doing the right things all the time,” he said. “I got to learn from a lot of great leaders and older veterans. I got to learn from great people. I like to think that I care about my players and just try to guide them in the right direction.”
Benn and Stars have been a powerhouse in the Western Conference since 2018, reaching the second round in seven of eight seasons, including reaching the Conference Final for the third consecutive season in 2024-25.
“There obviously needs to be another gear,” Benn added. “We haven’t taken that step in three years. We obviously don’t want to take a step backwards, and we haven’t been doing that. It’s about what can we do to take that next step now."
