The Dallas Stars have been a championship contender for the last four seasons, and while their window is far from done, they still have to answer some offseason questions.
The biggest one fans are thinking about is the future of Jamie Benn. The Stars captain has suited up in a Stars uniform since the 2009-10 season, and was the obvious heir apparent to Stars legend Mike Modano.
Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan spoke with the media and gave his thoughts on Benn. For fans concerned about Benn leaving or retiring, Gulutzan gave strong approval for him to come back, and that's all that Stars fans needed to hear, but there's still a catch.
Glen Gulutzan approves of Jamie Benn coming back, but Benn still has to make the call
Glen Gulutzan on Captain, Jamie Benn’s, future with the Dallas Stars.
— Abby Jones (@_abigaiiiil) May 4, 2026
“For me, it’s a slam dunk; he needs to come back. But that’s up to him.”
He is scheduled to have his meeting Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/gpNoUsMMtn
Getting Gulutzan's approval is about all Benn needs to hear. Dallas will always be his true NHL home, no matter what, but this shows how he's still valued in the locker room.
But Gulutzan adds, it's up to Benn to see how he feels.
We all know he's not the player he once was, but he can still be valuable as a tone setter and even as a goal-scorer. To also be fair, Benn missed 22 regular-season games due to a collapsed lung and a nose injury. He still managed to score 15 goals and still be out there for most of the season.
Fans have criticized Benn for his antics in the playoffs. For instance, his cross-checks on Ryan Hartman and Mark Stone in the playoffs were negatively perceived as hurting the team.
As Abby Jones of All-City Dallas adds, Benn will be scheduled to meet with the team on Wednesday. Benn also spoke to the media on Monday, and on his future decision, he said he'll have to wake up one morning and go with his gut. (h/t DLLS Stars)
"Probably just wake up one day, to be honest. Right now I'm just hanging out, being a dad. Figure it out later...We'll see, hopefully."
Even if he were to leave, which Stars fans would be extremely emotional about, it would sting a lot more if he left for the Colorado Avalanche or Vegas Golden Knights. If he goes to a championship contender, so be it. But definitely not those two.
It seems the higher-ups have already made their decision, but Benn will have the ultimate final say.
Add us as a preferred source on Google