Jamie Benn recently received a massive eight-year, $76 million contract extension which will pay the forward an average of $9.5 million each season beginning in 2017-18. Benn, who will now be under contract through the 2024-25 season, is receiving a massive raise compared to his previous average salary of $5.25 million a season.
Does Benn deserve such a large raise? Did the Stars overpay?
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Benn has been arguably the league’s best – if not statistically the league’s best – but he has done so under the radar.
Being paid with the league’s elite can make players wallow under the pressure, yet Benn has never had the superstar makeup. This isn’t to say that he isn’t a superstar, it is more to say that throughout his career he has had more of a workmanlike persona. It is one of the big faults in the NHL today. You have a perfectly marketable star and you aren’t able to put him in a position where he can flourish. They would rather promote the organizations rather than the stars themselves. In a short amount of time Benn has become one of the best in the league. Where is the coronation for a player of his skill level?
Just taking a look at the Hero Chart above, we can see that Benn is an offensive force. It doesn’t hurt that he gets to play with Tyler Seguin either. They form one of the most dynamic lines in the NHL. You can essentially toss anyone on that line and they will succeed – it’s just that easy.
The contract does run until he is 35, which is when most players decline. Most superstars continue their dominance well into their 30’s. If you believe he is that type of player, you shouldn’t give a contract like this any second thoughts.
Simply, the Stars were underpaying Benn for years and people hadn’t recognized it until recently. The Stars are a Western Conference team that was floundering for quite a while and subsequently Benn was lost in the shuffle. As they have grown to be more successful, the spotlight is finally on Benn. He is one of the best in the league and now has the money to prove it. This is his and his agent’s Jerry Maguire moment.
