The Dallas Stars got their captain back, and the wait didn’t drag on nearly as long as it seemed it might. Jamie Benn is returning on a one-year deal worth $850,000 after a brief stretch of uncertainty around his future when free agency opened. Dallas had made it clear it wanted him back, but the club also gave him room to step away and sort through things after another painful playoff exit.
Stars GM Jim Nill said the organization was willing to let Benn take his time, explaining, “…he just needs to sit down and be a good father and a good husband right now and just chill a little bit, and that’s what he wants to do. So I’m gonna give him some time.”
It took two days.
Now Benn is back in Dallas, though the question hanging over this return is obvious: could this be his last go-round? He’ll be 37 when the season begins.
The Edmonton Oilers’ Darnell Nurse situation also came with a twist. The eventual trade to the San Jose Sharks apparently wasn’t the only path on the table.
According to insider David Pagnotta, Edmonton had a deal lined up with the Boston Bruins before it fell apart. Bruins insider Jimmy Murphy later said Nikita Zadorov was part of that package.
That deal never got across the finish line because Zadorov did not waive his no-trade clause. Once that door closed, Edmonton moved fast and completed the San Jose deal instead.
The Bruins idea at least fit on paper, since Nurse and Zadorov both had four years left on their contracts. Zadorov’s cap hit was $4.25 million lower.
After that, the Oilers kept working. They added Ryan Shea, then brought in Mathieu Joseph and Frederik Andersen. Edmonton also signed Kasperi Kapanen and Max Jones to new deals.
In Chicago, the early offseason brought a scare involving Connor Bedard. He left an informal skate in Vancouver early after an awkward fall, and the visual immediately set off alarm bells. Bedard appeared to hurt his left shoulder.
There is some reason for relief, though. The shoulder involved is the opposite one from the dislocation he dealt with last season, so this does not appear to be a repeat of that problem.
Even so, the full extent of the injury is still unclear, and because the skate was not an official team event, updates may not come quickly. Bedard’s agent said more information should be available in the coming days.
The timing only adds to the attention around it, since Bedard is still working on a long-term extension with the Blackhawks.
Montreal, meanwhile, kept moving ahead with its own business by locking up Jakub Dobes on a three-year extension worth $5.4 million annually. The deal does not kick in until the 2027-28 season, but it gives the Canadiens control over two of Dobes’ unrestricted free agent years and secures part of his prime.
It’s a smart bet from GM Kent Hughes, especially with Dobes coming off a breakout season but still carrying some uncertainty as a full-time NHL starter. If he turns into a high-end goalie, Montreal gets cost certainty at a premium position. If he doesn’t, the commitment stays manageable.
Dobes clearly likes the direction the team is heading. Speaking about the Canadiens’ core, he said, “I feel like we have a good group and everyone wants to win, which is really important to get the deals done and keep the guys together,” and added, “I’m just excited that everyone is on the same page.
We want to do what’s best for us and for us as a group. I’m excited; I feel like we have a lot of potential to, in the next couple of years, get something exciting done.”
In Other News...
Bruins Lose Another Defenseman As Sweeney's Blue Line Reset Continues
Andrew Peekes departure is the latest sign that Don Sweeneys offseason blue-line reset is still taking shape. Boston had kept the defenseman through the trade deadline and into the first round against the Buffalo Sabres, but the roster churn around him has continued as the Bruins sort through a defense group that looks different than it did a few months ago.
Peekes move fits alongside another notable decision from the front office, with Viktor Arvidsson also moving on after Boston chose not to re-sign him. For the Bruins, the bigger picture is clear: this summer has been about recalibrating the roster, and the blue line in particular remains a work in progress as the organization keeps making room for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins May Have Quietly Closed The Door On A Familiar Defenseman
Andrew Peekes time in Boston may already be in the rearview, even if the right-shot defenseman is still looking for his next contract. The Bruins brought him in as a steady depth piece and got useful minutes out of him last season, when he skated in 77 games and chipped in five goals and nine assists.
Now the picture on the blue line has changed enough to make a reunion feel unlikely. Boston has already added other right-shot options and reinforced that side of the defense, leaving Peeke as one of the more notable free agents still on the board and pointing him toward a market that may have to come from somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]