Benn Chases Stanley Cup as McDavid Eyes Milestones and Champions Visit Weyburn

Three Stanley Cup storylines are drawing attention across professional hockey, as Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn pursues another championship while approaching a major career milestone, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid continues his search for a title, and former NHL champions Mike Commodore and André Roy prepare for a community event in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. Reports published October 18-20, 2026, detail their respective goals, careers, and continued connections to the sport.

Benn, 37, has accumulated 994 points through 1,260 NHL games, including 415 goals and 579 assists, all with Dallas. According to NHL.com on October 20, he has recorded two points in the opening eight games of his 18th season. The Stars are seeking a stronger postseason after losing to the Minnesota Wild in the Western Conference First Round last season.

The franchise's closest recent championship run came in 2019-20, when Dallas reached the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. Benn has adjusted his training and reduced his weight to remain competitive against younger players, while accepting one-year contracts worth $1 million in 2025-26 and $850,000 for the current season.

Benn said the previous season's finish motivated him and his teammates to make changes during the offseason.

"I put in some good work this summer, changed a few things, and obviously the way we ended last year was not up to our standards," Benn said. "It motivated a lot of us in the summer to be better. With a few tweaks and changes to this year to our system and how we play, we feel we’re in a good spot."

Dallas general manager Jim Nill said Benn has repeatedly chosen to return after conversations about his physical and mental readiness. The captain's willingness to accept a lower salary also gives the organization more flexibility under the salary cap.

"We have the good talk, and he comes back about a month later and says, ‘No, I want to come back,’" Nill said.

Nill described Benn as an increasingly uncommon power forward whose physical play, scoring, and leadership remain important to the franchise. Selected 129th overall in the fifth round of the 2007 NHL Draft, Benn has served as captain since the beginning of the 2013-14 season.

"He’s a little bit of a unicorn in today’s game. There aren’t many of those power forward guys left, and he’s brought a lot to this franchise on the ice with his physicality and scoring ability. What he brings off the ice, too, is so important.

He’s the leader of the team. He directs the team and he’s done a great job."

Stars forward Tyler Seguin, who has played alongside Benn since joining Dallas in 2013, welcomed the prospect of witnessing his teammate reach 1,000 points.

"How many are we a part of together?" Seguin said with a laugh.

Seguin said Benn's milestone would carry special meaning because of their years together and the experiences they have shared throughout his career.

"It’ll be pretty sweet to see when it happens," Seguin said. "I think if you ask him, he’s not going to say much about it. But just being able to be a part of a lot of his career and seeing things he’s gone through, it’s going to be a pretty cool moment."

Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan, who returned for his second stint with the franchise after being hired on July 1, 2025, said Benn's competitive approach defines his leadership.

"For me, the biggest thing with Jamie is just why he does what he does," Gulutzan said. "He’s the ultimate competitor. He just wants to win and he’s here just to win, whether he plays 10 minutes, 20 minutes, power play, no power play."

Gulutzan, who previously coached Dallas from 2011 to 2013, said Benn's development has been rewarding to watch.

"He just wants to win. That’s the mark of a great leader. Seeing him young and seeing him older … as an older coach, you’re proud of a guy like that. He’s really matured into a good human."

Fatherhood has also changed Benn's life away from the rink. His son, Knox Jay, was born April 3, 2025, and Benn said family time provides a welcome break from hockey.

"This is Year 2 with the little guy," Benn said. "It’s fun coming home and just checking out mentally from hockey, to come home and be a good father and a good husband. My wife (Jessica), she’s the champion.

She does most of the work. She makes my life pretty easy."

He said spending time with his son keeps him active even during breaks from professional hockey.

"(Being a father) is the best. Obviously, they don’t know -- win or lose, they’re always super happy. It’s a lot of fun coming home to a happy kid who just loves you, and vice versa.

Time off, there’s no laying on the couch. It’s mini hockey, it’s baseball, it’s anything that keeps you on your feet."

Benn also acknowledged that his playing career cannot continue indefinitely, making his remaining seasons increasingly meaningful.

"When you’re younger, you just enjoy playing the game, and then the older you get the more you appreciate the game," he said. "You can’t play this game forever. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve really enjoyed coming to the rink every day and putting in the work and having a lot of fun with these guys."

McDavid faces a different challenge in Edmonton, where the 29-year-old captain is still seeking his first Stanley Cup. According to Montreal Hockey Fanatics, published October 18, he praised Montreal as a special hockey destination, highlighting the Bell Centre's intense atmosphere and the support he received from Canadiens fans during the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Canada played two games at the Bell Centre during that tournament, with McDavid recording one goal and one assist. His appreciation for the venue has prompted discussion about a possible future connection with the Montreal Canadiens, but his comments do not establish an intention to leave Edmonton.

McDavid is in the first season of a two-year contract carrying an annual salary-cap hit of $12.5 million. The report recorded 23 points, including six goals, and a plus-19 rating through eight games, underscoring his strong start to the season.

Meanwhile, Weyburn's hockey community is preparing to welcome two former NHL players for a public event on Thursday, October 22. According to DiscoverWeyburn.com, the Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings are hosting former Stanley Cup champions Mike Commodore and André Roy at McKenna Hall for an evening of hockey stories and community fundraising.

Weyburn Red Wings president Patrick Grunert said the former players' personalities should make the gathering entertaining.

"We have a couple, I would say, really big personalities coming to town in André Roy and Mike Commodore. Yeah, should be an exciting night. Lots of good stories and I feel like they're going to be pretty unfiltered."

Commodore, from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, won a national championship with the University of North Dakota in 2000 before beginning his NHL career. Selected by the New Jersey Devils in the second round of the 1999 NHL Draft, he played 11 seasons across seven teams and won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. He also won a world championship with Canada in 2007.

Roy, born in Port Chester, New York, and raised in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, played junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before the Boston Bruins selected him in the sixth round of the 1994 NHL Draft. He spent 11 NHL seasons with five teams and won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.

Both former players remain involved in hockey broadcasting. Roy works in television and radio commentary for RDS, primarily covering Montreal Canadiens postgame programming, and occasionally joins Tampa Bay Lightning broadcasts. Commodore co-hosts the Clearing the Crease podcast with former NHL player Andrew Raycroft and broadcaster James Cybulski.