Stars Captain Returning To Lineup After Scary Injury

The Dallas Stars have given their fans plenty to cheer about this season. With elite scoring depth, reliable goaltending, and a blue line that pushes the pace, Dallas has looked every bit like the contender they are. Miro Heiskanen’s blistering start has set the tone, young forwards have taken another step, and the team currently sits tied with New Jersey and Carolina for the second-best record in the league. And now, the outlook just got even brighter.

The Stars announced that captain Jamie Benn will return to the lineup for their upcoming matchup against the Islanders, bringing their heartbeat and longest-serving leader back into the fold. His absence has been felt, even as Dallas keeps winning. Getting him back won't just strengthen the roster, it'll sharpen the entire identity of the team.

A Scary Situation That Could Have Been Worse

Benn’s road back started with a frightening moment that initially flew under the radar. Late in a preseason game against the Minnesota Wild, Benn absorbed contact near the boards and appeared slow to get up. He finished his shift, played out the period, and logged over fifteen minutes on the night. But something was clearly wrong.

Two days later, the Stars announced Benn had suffered a collapsed lung and required immediate surgery. The injury is rare and potentially dangerous, especially for a player who thrives in the physical areas of the ice. The timeline was at least four weeks, which kept him out of the remainder of the preseason and the first stretch of the regular season. In the meantime, rehearsed combinations needed retooling, and Dallas’ forward group had to adapt without its stabilizing veteran on the left side.

Sep 23, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) on the ice before the game between the Stars and the Minnesota Wild at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

To Benn’s credit, recovery was smooth and steady. His conditioning returned quickly, and after full practice clearance earlier this week, the Stars officially marked him ready for game action once again.

A Milestone Season Back on Track

This was always poised to be a meaningful year for Benn, his seventeenth with the only franchise he has ever known. Even at thirty-six, he remains a productive piece of Dallas’ attack after posting sixteen goals and forty-nine points last season. He also returned on a one-year deal to help the team maintain flexibility while still anchoring a third line built around experience and reliability.

Now that he’s back, several personal milestones are once again within reach. Benn sits one goal shy of four hundred in his career. He needs eight more games to reach 1,200, and he is forty-four points away from becoming the next player in league history to reach 1,000. He also remains second on Dallas’ all-time scoring list with 956 points, trailing only Mike Modano’s 1,050.

For thirteen seasons, Benn has been the Stars’ silent but intimidating presence, the captain who leads by force of habit more than volume. Dallas has already looked dangerous without him. With their leader returning, one can only imagine how high of a ceiling this team might have.

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