Lindy Ruff "had no idea" how good Jamie Benn could become.
Ruff, the longtime coach of the Buffalo Sabres, moved from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference three years ago to coach the Dallas Stars.
"It took me half a year to learn exactly what this guy was all about," Ruff said.
All Benn did that first season was score 34 goals and amass 79 points. He followed by leading the NHL in scoring last season. Seconds after his Art Ross Trophy-winning second assist capped a four-point season finale, Benn publicly apologized to rabid Stars fans in the arena for not leading Dallas into the postseason, and promised to make amends.
This season, Benn slipped to No. 2 in league scoring … with two more points (89) and six more goals (41), and lived up to his pledge by making the Stars the Western Conference and Central Division champions. No. 1 seed Dallas opens against the No. 8 Wild on Thursday night.
"Last year was a huge disappointment," Benn said by phone Monday. "You want to make the playoffs every year, and last year we underachieved and that gave us a lot of motivation for this year.
"We wanted to get off to a good start, and we got rolling and now we're sitting where we want to be."
This example told Ruff everything he needed to know about his 26-year-old who has world junior and Olympic gold medals in his trophy case.
"He really has evolved into the all-around type captain that you envision," Ruff said. "He can take control of games in different ways. He can do it with skill, he can do it with physicality, he plays every aspect of our game, penalty kill or power play, he can play center, can play wing.
"He's come a long way in three years here. He used to be pretty quiet, not real vocal, but now he says his piece when he needs to."
Benn does most his talking through his play on the ice. The 6-2, 210-pounder is a giant reason the NHL's highest-scoring team plays such a fun brand of hockey, combining power, grit and finesse — and as good a wrist shot as there is in the sport.
"He can score highlight-reel goals or get to the net and score some of the dirtiest goals," Ruff said. "But what makes him so good besides the great hands and skill set is his competitiveness. The fact is he'll step in and fight anybody. He'll get involved for a teammate at the drop of a hat and he's tough … real, real tough."
Rising rapidly
Benn, from Victoria, British Columbia, was selected 129th overall in the 2007 draft. He blossomed during two seasons with Kelowna of the Western Hockey League, winning a WHL title in 2009.
"It took a lot of hard work," Benn said. "I was committed to working on all aspects of my game and not trying to be just a one-tool player. I really wanted to bring more than just being a goal scorer or a good passer. I wanted to do it all."
Benn said he feels fortunate that he got to play with guys such as Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen and the captain who preceded him, Brenden Morrow.
"I really looked up to him and the way he played the game and I pretty much just tried to be like him," Benn said of Morrow. "But hanging out with all these real professionals was a real eye-opener for how hard I needed to work."
Benn gets to play alongside his older brother, Jordie, 28, a defenseman with his bushy ginger beard that makes him look like the character Yukon Cornelius.
There's no sibling rivalry. In fact, the two are roommates.
"Being teammates is super special and something we don't take for granted," Jamie Benn said. "There's even some times in games where we kind of look at each other and give each other a wink and say, 'This is pretty cool.' "
Playing for Larry
The Benns have dedicated this season to family friend, Larry Orr, who ran the skate shop in their hometown and started an equipment exchange so kids who financially wouldn't be able to play could do so.
"He was a local legend and one of those people who would do anything for you and not expect anything back," Benn said.
Orr died in October. A few weeks later, Orr's memorial service happened to come on the night the Stars played at Vancouver. Benn had a feeling he would score that night. With everybody back home watching, Benn got the overtime winner. He pointed right to the sky.
"I gave him a salute and a thank you," Benn said. "I definitely play for him. He was such a special person in my life, and to not have him here for such a great year for our team is kind of tough."
The Stars have major expectations.
"But we can't look past the first round here," Benn said. "We know we're in for a battle. Minnesota's a great team that played us tight all year. Three of the five games went to overtime and could have gone any way, and there's no 3-on-3 hockey in playoff overtime. So we've got to be ready and expect a great series.
"My seven years, this has been our best team. Our standards are high. It's the season of no excuses."
