The Dallas Stars are just like every other team right now – going through the hoopla of an extended preseason. Every team has to deal with injuries, and the Stars are no exception.
The Edmonton Oilers have forward Zach Hyman on the shelf. The Toronto Maple Leafs have roster hopeful Simon Benoit on the sidelines, too. Now, the Stars have their own injury to deal with, to their captain, Jamie Benn.
Stars Will Lose Jamie Benn to Injury
The Stars’ social media account posted on X earlier on September 25.
“Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that captain Jamie Benn will undergo surgery for a collapsed lung,” the statement begins. “He was diagnosed with the injury late in the third period of Tuesday’s preseason game against Minnesota.”
“Benn is expected to make a full recovery and will be reevaluated in four weeks.”
Outpouring of Support for Jamie Benn
Since news of his injury has hit, social media has been active with messages of support flooding in.
NHL.com writer, Taylor Baird wrote, “Ouch. Jamie Benn has been a bit of an iron man for Dallas. He’s played in 326 of the past 328 regular season games for Dallas, and he’s not a guy in his prime still. They’ll miss him most in the locker room from a leadership perspective.”
“As someone who has had a collapsed lung before, this is absolutely horrifying. It must have been really bad if he needed surgery,” wrote one fan.
Pierre LeBrun of TSN wrote, “Geez that’s scary. Wishing Jamie Benn the best in his recovery.”
Greg Wyshynski of ESPN wrote, “Benn is entering is 17th NHL season, all with the Stars. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery.”
“They don’t make players like Benn anymore. Tough as nails. He will be back, but take all the time you need,” wrote one user.
Benn’s Collapsed Lung is Bad News
There have been numerous injuries across the NHL throughout its existence. The timelines for recovery have varied greatly, depending on the severity of the ailment.
Trent McCleary
The most dramatic example of a collapsed lung injury was that of Trent McCleary. He was an undrafted forward who played 192 NHL games between the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Montreal Canadiens. McCleary last played in the NHL during the 1999-2000 season.
McCleary was 27 years old at the time when he was hit in the throat by a puck after going down to block a shot. According to an archived Sports Illustrated article, he suffered a fractured larynx and collapsed lung.
He sustained those injuries on January 29th, 2000. McCleary would never play another NHL game, announcing his retirement on September 20, 2000, as reported by CBC at the time.
Drew O’Connor
One player who endured not one, but two collapsed lungs is Drew O’Connor. The Vancouver Canucks forward suffered a collapsed lung in November 2021. Then, in January 2022 (two months later), he suffered a collapsed lung on the other side.
Following the second collapsed lung, he was held out for the remainder of the season. To that point in his career, he had played 32 games. O’Connor has now played 241 regular season games.
One way or another, Benn will miss some time. The fact that he is 36-years-old should also be taken into account.
More will be known in four weeks. If he can play again without struggling to breathe, then that’s good news for Benn. Otherwise, this could be the beginning of the end of his playing career.
Stars’ Jamie Benn, Trent McCleary, Drew O’Connor & Recovering From Collapsed Lungs