Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Dallas Stars expect to add Jamie Benn, Jeff Woywitka back to the fold

bennsback

James O’Brien

After missing three games because of post-concussion syndrome caused by a rugged hit by New York Islanders defenseman James Wisniewski, Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News reports that Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn should return for tonight’s game against the Florida Panthers.

Heika writes that Benn will join Steve Ott and Brandon Segal on the Stars’ third line tonight.

In addition to the return of Benn, Heika said that defenseman Jeff Woywitka (great name) will probably be back in the Stars’ lineup tonight. Of course, with Woywitka coming in, another defenseman will be scratched. Heika discusses that decision making process.

The question that could be asked is whether Fistric is the right player to take out. Fistric is the low man among defensemen in average time on ice per game at 15:15, but it certainly would be worth the discussion to see if maybe Trevor Daley , Nicklas Grossman, Karlis Skrastins or Matt Niskanen was more deserving of a healthy scratch. Daley had a bad game Monday, but he is their top penalty killing guy. Niskanen is pretty much the first option for a defenseman on the power play right now, so he doesn’t seem to be a possibility to come out any time soon. Still, Fistric doesn’t seem like a guy who needs a game off.

Either way, though, the Stars defense could use a boost. They’ve been giving up 38 shots per game, the second highest average in the league behind the Anaheim Ducks (who average 39.6 shots allowed per game). Woywitka won’t heal all their wounds, but perhaps he’ll help them be a little more responsible in their own end.