Dallas Stars’ star centerman and captain Jamie Benn underwent surgery this past Thursday in Philadelphia in order to repair an injury to a “core muscle.” Following the surgery, the Stars organization announced that the operation had gone according to plan and that Benn’s recovery time would be approximately six weeks.
Jamie Benn of the @DallasStars underwent surgery yesterday, his participation in the World Cup will be determined in 6 weeks.
— SiriusXM NHL Network (@SiriusXMNHL) July 15, 2016
Jamie Benn Undergoes Surgery on “Core Muscle;” Out For Six Weeks
This timeline leaves plenty of space between recovery and the beginning of the regular season. Stars general manager Jim Nill acknowledged that Benn is expected to be ready to play by opening night. One major question mark, however, will be whether or not Benn is able to play for Team Canada in the World Cup of Hockey. The tournament begins on September 17th and lasts until October 1st. A six-week recovery period would make him eligible to begin playing on the first week of September. However, it seems unlikely that he would be ready to make the transition from recovery to full contact in such an abbreviated period.
Benn finished the 2015-2016 regular season second in league scoring with 89 points. He led the Stars to a division title. However, they would lose to the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the playoffs. His presence would be a huge offensive boost to Team Canada, who come into the tournament as favorites. If his doctors determine that he is unprepared due to the injury, the team may look to Taylor Hall or Ryan O’Reilly to fill his spot.
Main Photo:
DALLAS, TX – MARCH 12: Jamie Benn #14 of the Dallas Stars shoots the puck against the St. Louis Blues in the first period at American Airlines Center on March 12, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
