Dallas Stars CEO rips Seguin and Benn in profanity-filled tirade
Things are not going so well in Dallas.
Dallas Stars CEO Jim Lite is upset with the performance of his team’s two superstars Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn.
In an article published Friday by Sean Shapiro of the Athletic, Lite rips into the disappointing effort from his two top players in the team’s 2-0 win over the Nashville Predators.
“They are f**king horse-s**t, I don’t know how else to put it,” Lites said. “The team was ok. But (Tyler) Seguin and (Jamie) Benn were terrible.”
The article details that Lite gets five texts per game from team owner Tom Gaglardi wondering what is going on with Benn and Seguin.
According to the Athletic, the public frustration began during Thursday’s morning skate, when Stars coach Jim Montgomery told the team he was “f**king embarrassed” with the team’s practice and where they were in the standings.
“We are a stars-driven league, and our stars aren’t getting it done,” Lites said. “It’s embarrassing, and no one writes it. Write it!
“These guys are not good enough. They’re not good enough for me, they’re not good enough for the owner, and they’re certainly not good enough for the general manager, who I can’t speak for, but it’s not good enough for the job he’s done,” Lites added. “But we’ve had meeting after meeting after meeting. The accountability on the ice is not there. These guys were signed to big contracts because they were the third- and sixth-leading scorers in the National Hockey League over the past five years. They get their money, we expect them to not be outplayed every game we play in. And if they were as good as they’ve been in the past we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Seguin and Benn were once considered the best duo in hockey, but are currently ranked 57th and 67th in league scoring and have failed to take the Stars to the next level. Dallas has 41 points in 38 games this season and are battling for a playoff spot.
The lack of a supporting cast is likely the main reason for the Stars’ inability to take the next step and become a contender. The Stars have just three players with 20-plus points this season (Seguin, Benn and Alex Radulov). It’s asking alot for two players to carry the entire team.
Benn is making $13 million this season ($9.5 million against the cap), the third-highest salary in the NHL this season. He has 30 points in 38 games. Seguin signed an eight-year contract extension that kicks in next season worth $78.8 million in total. He has 32 points in 38 games.
While the rant is brutally honest, all eyes will be on Seguin and Benn and how they react to this criticism. The Stars have scored just nine goals in their last five games and resume action on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings.