Benn has seen his offensive performance decline over the past five seasons. In 2017-18, he led the Stars in scoring at almost a point a game (79 points in 82 games), logged almost 20 minutes a night (19:49) and fired 241 shots on goal. Last season, he averaged 16:48 in time on ice, averaged 0.56 points per game (46 in 82 games played) and took 182 shots on goal. He was at 17:45 the previous season and 0.67 points per game, so this seems like a trend. Is that because his body is wearing down? Is that because the Stars have struggled with scoring as a team? Is that because Dallas has been through a series of coaching moves that have been difficult to navigate?
It's a tough analysis to make. Benn had the same amount of hits he had five seasons ago, and he seems as physical and healthy as he was then. But has his usage made him a less effective player? If it has, where does he go from here? A new coaching staff might have a huge impact on Benn.