What Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill said about re-signing Jamie Benn, including the big pay cut

You’ve probably heard by now that Jamie Benn will be back for his 17th season in Dallas.

The Stars’ longtime captain re-signed last month on a one-year, $1 million deal with up to $3 million in potential bonuses. It marks a significant pay cut for Benn, who just played the final season of an eight-year, $76 million ($9.5 million per year) contract.

On a recent appearance on Sportsradio 96.7 FM/1310 AM The Ticket [KTCK-AM], Stars general manager Jim Nill was asked if it had been difficult to re-sign Benn given the big pay cut.

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Here is Nill’s full answer, with small edits for clarity:

“Actually, the conversation wasn’t hard. When you get to Jamie’s career —much like Joe Pavelski and other guys — you get to the point where, yes, money is important and that, but he’s done well. In the end, he wants a chance to win and he knows that if he gives up a little bit, you know, 500,000 here, 750 there, it just makes it easier for us to sign somebody else. He understands that and he made that a point. He made that clear.

‘Jim, look I just want to help you guys out, too, you know, I want to be on a good team. I still want to keep winning, and I know I got to sacrifice a little bit financially,’ but he was willing to do that.

So really it wasn’t a hard conversation. For Jamie, you know — and these are things a lot of people see, I know he’s the captain and people see that — it’s all about the team. And that’s Jamie Benn.”

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