Stars captain Benn back on ice after surgery

Dallas Stars captain and reigning Art Ross Trophy winner Jamie Benn is back on the ice after undergoing two hip surgeries in early May.

Between sessions of Stars development camp Tuesday, Benn made his way slowly around the rink doing small cuts and stops.

It was his second time on the rink since the surgeries, he said.

“It’s pretty good,” he said. “I haven’t really been doing too much. I’ve been taking it easy, day by day. It’s definitely nice to get back on the ice now.”

Benn said that while he’s being patient with his rehab, he believes he’s ahead of schedule.

Benn hopes to be 100 percent healthy in time for the Stars season opener Oct. 8 against the Pittsburgh Penguins at American Airlines Center.

“I’m in no rush,” Benn said. “Take it day by day and nice and slow. I think the main thing is I don’t want any setbacks. I definitely happy with my progress.”

Talking goalies

New Stars goaltender Antti Niemi isn’t the only new face around the goal for the organization this season.

Jeff Reese was named the Stars’ goalie coach on June 15, replacing Mike Valley, who will take on the role of director of goaltending development, working with the organization’s goaltending prospects.

Reese immediately steps in the job of managing a system with two No. 1 goalies — last year’s starter Kari Lehtonen and Niemi.

“They’re going to have to put their egos aside here and it’s all about winning and making the playoffs,” Reese said. “It’s going to be a friendly and good competition, too. They’re going to push each other, and they’re going to help each other, too.”

Stars general manager Jim Nill traded for Niemi during the NHL Draft after a statistically down year for Lehtonen, who will enter his sixth season with Dallas.

While mentioning there is always room for improvement, Reese doesn’t necessarily see Lehtonen’s previous season as a valley in the 31-year-old’s career.

“I look at things a bit differently,” he said. “He was 34-17. I know there are areas for improvement from what I hear and even Kari admits it himself, but 34 wins is not that bad a year.”

Reese’s interaction with both goaltenders so far has been limited, and he said the key to starting the process of a successful season is building relationships.

Lehtonen and Niemi already know each other well, living together during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi while playing for Team Finland.

“I’ve played the position,” Reese said. “I understand that sometimes it’s a lonely position and you need to have somebody behind you and you need to have that support. I’ll be there for a lot of support.”

Veteran presence

Jason Dickinson recognized the look of nervousness that comes across young prospects’ faces as they enter the Stars locker room at the Dr Pepper StarCenter in Frisco at the beginning of development camp.

He was right there with them two years ago when he entered his first prospect camp after the Stars took the young forward 29th overall in the 2013 draft.

“My first year, I just came in here so nervous,” he said. “I didn’t even know what I was getting into. I didn’t know what to expect. I was really worried about how I would perform and I was worried about what they’d say about me. Now that I think about it, it’s so stupid of me to even think that. They just want to see us learn.”

Dickinson spent most of last season with Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, scoring 71 points in 56 games. He played two games with the Texas Stars, recording three assists.

As a veteran of development camp, he said he hopes he can be a sounding board for those new prospects who enter camp with anxiety and questions.

“It’s not easy coming to these camps because everybody thinks it’s going to be the hardest thing ever and that they’re going to be dragged through the mud, but as long as you enjoy it, it’s going to be fine,” he said.

This story was originally published July 8, 2015 at 9:52 PM with the headline "Stars captain Benn back on ice after surgery."