How Many Ways Can I Use Benn's Name?

I have to admit that I never expected Jamie Benn to be ejected from Game Three of the Western Conference Final less than two minutes into the game, but the Dallas Stars' captain was sent to the dressing room just 1:53 into the game tonight. After seeing the highlight as to why he was ejected, it was hard to disagree with the assessment made by the officials, and it seems very likely that Benn will miss the next game against the Vegas Golden Knights at the very least. He can stare at the title in the lede image all he wants, but this article went from angry to ridiculous the more I wrote. In saying that, how many different ways can I use Benn's name in explaining why his actions were beyond dumb?

First, let's get a better idea of the stupidity Benn committed tonight.
As you can see, that was ridiculous, dirty, unnecessary, and vicious. Having the officials assess the cross-check as an attempt to injure seems entirly appropriate, and I'm glad that Benn was given the boot for that buffoonery. The fallout from Benn's actions were that Stone was fortunately not injured, and that the Vegas Golden Knights downed the Stars by a 4-0 score to go up 3-0 in the series.

However, because Benn made it all about him tonight, let's have some fun with Jamie Benn's name in looking at all the ways he and his team will be affected by his stupidity.

BENN-ched For The Series

It seems almost inevitable that Benn will be sitting for Game Four. Games Five through Seven? That's up in the air, but Benn's selfish act in throwing a crosscheck on a prone Mark Stone will earn him some alone time in the pressbox for at least one game. That game, coincidentally, could be the last one the Stars play this season based on their three-game deficit in the series. That means, for argument purposes, Jamie Benn could watch the team he captains flame out to the Vegas Golden Knights with nothing to say or do about it.

I'm not sure the crosscheck was worth it.

BENN-t Out Of Shape?

I have watched the first two minutes of this game a couple of times, and I honestly can't see what had Jamie Benn so bent out of shape when it came to the crosscheck. Stone's play wasn't anything out of the ordinary in the first two minutes of the game, and he wasn't even on the ice when Marchessault scored 71 seconds into the game. If that little bump between Benn and Stone was all it took for Benn to boil over, it's hard to rationalize his actions at all.

Whatever caused him to go off, the crosscheck wasn't worth it.

BENN-efitting Vegas

With Benn likely suspended one game and possibly more, having one of the game's best power forwards and one of Dallas' scoring stars will certainly benefit Vegas as they nolonger have to worry about Jamie Benn on the ice. Benn was second in scoring and third in goals for the Stars this season, and his eleven points have him tied for fourth on the Stars in the playoffs. His 63.2% efficiency at the faceoff dot doesn't hurt either, but none of that will matter at this point since it seems likely that Benn's series is over. If Benn was trying to help one team, it seems it was the team not wearing the same jersey as Benn.

I'm still looking, but it seems like the crosscheck wasn't worth it.

Costing Some BENN-jamins

With Benn's suspension impending, it's likely that there won't be another game in Dallas. That's going to cost his owner and the franchise some money. Beyond that, the 33 year-old's $9.5 million annual contract ends in the summer of 2025, and it's hard to imagine anyone giving a guaranteed, big-money contract to a 35 year-old Benn whose most memorable image in these playoffs might be one of him sitting in the pressbox. While his actual salary is a more-manageable $6.5 million annually for the next two seasons, there might be a time where the discussion of whether or not to trade Jamie Benn to bring back a solid return happens in the Dallas front office. Frankly, it could be as early as this summer.

I still can't see why the crosscheck was worth it.

The Finnish Hell-BENN-der

Make no mistake that the best player on the ice for the Stars throughout these playoffs who doesn't stop pucks is Roope Hintz. The 26 year-old has always played well when Dallas needed a player to step up, but his ten goals and 22 points in 16 games in these playoffs has made up for the lack of production from Jason Robertson and Tyler Seguin. Hintz should be the player on whom Dallas pins its future, but he'll likely play behind the overpaid duo of Seguin and Benn for the next two seasons unless someone gets moved. It might be time to make Hintz the centerpiece for the Stars.

It seems pretty obvious the crosscheck wasn't worth it.

Who's BENN-eath The Hood?

I'll grant that captains in the NHL often have to face the heat when things go off the rails, but it speaks to his character when he stands and faces the media in tough times and offers real insight as to what may be plaguing his team. Jamie Benn was ejected from a game where his team was out-everythinged in a 4-0 loss, and he was nowhere to be found after the game. As it turns out, he declined talking to the media, left the arena for the parking garage, and drove his car in the Dallas evening without offering any sort of explanation or rationale for what happened, leaving his teammates and coaches to answer for him. Captains are supposed to be accountable, but it seems Benn wants no part of that.

Still think that crosscheck was worth it?

Ok, Enough Benn Words

If the Dallas Stars want to have any shot at beating the Vegas Golden Knights in their next game, they need a big effort from every player who dresses. Jake Oettinger needs to bring the same swagger he had against Seattle. Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell have to push the play up the ice. Ryan Suter can't look like a 73 year-old beer leaguer. Max Domi, Tyler Seguin, and Jason Robertson have to find a way to get pucks to the net and cause headaches for Adin Hill. Roope Hintz needs to continue to play well as part of a refocused Dallas Stars team.

The one player who won't be helping the Stars try to make an epic comeback, though, is Jamie Benn. His selfish play in crosschecking a prone Mark Stone on the ice removes one highly-skilled player from the Dallas lineup, making that comeback a little harder than before. With no explanation as to why he did what he did, the speculation will run wild, but make no mistake that Jamie Benn cost his team tonight.

And it'll be up to Benn to justify why it was worth it.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!