NHL teams
Joe McDonald, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

Dallas Stars need more from superstar captain Jamie Benn

NHL, Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks, Winnipeg Jets

What do you need to know about last night's big stories? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best. This is where we say, "Morning, Joe."

Stars need more Benn: Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn was a preseason favorite to win the Hart and Art Ross trophies. He won't be bringing home the hardware this season, but expect his production to start to come in bunches now that he has broken out of his slump. Benn scored two goals in a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday, his first goals in 10 games, giving him just four on the season. He's been pressing and inconsistent early on, and he has a tendency to go through a drought like this periodically. Benn is an outstanding player, as is teammate Tyler Seguin, but the Stars need much more than those two players to enjoy a deep postseason run. It's simple: If they're going to rely on Benn so much, the Stars need more from him.

Scheifele's the man: Everyone is focused on Winnipeg Jets rookie Patrik Laine -- and for good reason. The 18-year-old is off to an incredible start. But how about teammate Mark Scheifele? The 23-year-old forward has actually been the team's best player. He had one assist in Winnipeg's 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday, and he has nine goals and 10 assists for 19 points in 15 games this season. He's an electric player -- he has the ability to dominate and leads by example. As important as Laine's presence is, Scheifele's contributions are the foundation for the Jets' success. His production picked up late last season, and he has easily carried it over, with 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points in 36 games since March. The Jets are an exciting team with a mix of veterans and young talent, and Scheifele is the key.

Reckless results: During the World Cup of Hockey, Team Sweden forward Jakob Silfverberg knew that, if he had a good tournament, it could translate into a good start for the Anaheim Ducks. He's starting to see that come to fruition. He scored two goals and added two assists for four points in a 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. It took a while for the Ducks to get rolling but they're now 3-0-1 in their past four. Silfverberg's second goal proved to be the winner but it was his all-around effort on it that proved crucial. Forcing a turnover at Anaheim's blue line, he gained control in the neutral zone and created a partial breakaway with reckless abandon. He showed his offensive skill when he scored from the right circle -- right before he was knocked off his skates -- to beat goalie Cam Ward.

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