You guys sure are persistent.  Whenever we ask, “Hmm, who should we pick for Foxy Friday?”, you all do this:

Ignoring you, we look out the window and see:

Ha, pitiful fence.  That won’t hold you!  Intern Jeff Skinner can only turn and flee as you stampede into our office:

Okay, okay!  We hear you.  You’re like that petition to the White House to deport Bieber – we must take you seriously now.

Foxy Friday: Jamie Benn

We confess – Chuck & I have been resisting this selection because we’re not crazy about the hair.

Sure, try out the long locks.  All the guys do.  Then they admit they’re not Kris Letang and let the phase pass, like that time everyone went blond in junior, and hope the internet forgets.

Somehow, while packing for Sochi, Jamie heard us over you chanting his name. “All you want is a haircut?” he asked.

BOOM.

Jut to be clear, this hair is very, very good:

This hair is fine, under control.

It’s when we start getting to be the kind of shag I had as a kid, where my mom made a ponytail, pulled it forward and chopped it off, that we have to object.

Especially now that we know about this:

Jamie Benn, raising the bar.

Aside from the hair, we know almost nothing about Jamie.  He’s never been (I honestly just typed “benn”) tagged in a single post.  We know he stands next to Tyler Seguin sometimes.  We know Jamie resembles our friend Matty D, who also lives in Texas, and that Texas is in a different time zone.  But we can never remember which one.

At least we know his team’s not called the Texas Stars. (Rats my joke is ruined by this being correct! Merrin points out this is AHL.  See, how much we’re learning?  Our fault for doubting The Hockey News’ typesetters.)

So we looked him up.  Based on his star turn at the Olympics and the many hockey-related accolades Jamie receives from gushing commentators, it seemed obvious that his on-ice play is something special.

Credited as someone with “tremendous versatility” who “never quits on a play” [DefendingBigD.com], Benn is a consistent 20+ goal guy.  If he keeps pace, he’ll break the 30 goal mark this season for the first time in his career.

Jamie lead the Stars in scoring last year.  This season he’s got some flashy help in the form of Tyler Seguin, with whom he shares the top of the stats chart.  Look how far ahead they are of everyone else:

Benn has become the “face of a franchise” in Dallas – an odd title, not undeserved but seemingly dropped on him by a team that has let all their other faces go: Brad Richards went UFA, Loui Eriksson, Mike Ribero, James Neal and Brendan Morrow were all traded.  The only other Star to ever outscore Benn was defenseman Stephane Robidas in JB’s rookie year.

The Stars move to acquire Seguin was a big one, and it’s paying off.  Jamie and his brother Jordie have gotten some credit for helping Chuck’s favorite bad boy settle down in Dallas [link].  Tyler lives in the same building, spends time with them and, based on this video, has encouraged Jamie to be drunk at work.

Only kidding.  But they do love each other.

Here’s Jamie flicking hats at Tyler after Seguin scored a hat trick on free hat day. Way to recycle the promo items, boys.

Seguin could be the perfect compliment to Jamie Benn’s personality.  Jamie is notoriously media-shy and awkward (two of our favorite things), and has even been called “robotic” [link].  Yet his on-ice work got him appointed team captain back in September.  Not bad for a guy passed up until the fifth round of the ’07 draft – who just might be coming out of his shell.

We are not the only ones to overlook Jamie Benn.  He was left off the Team Canada Olympic orientation camp roster last summer.  No ball hockey, no Bachelorette nickname, nothing.  He sure showed us.  With a point-per-game through Oct/Nov., Benn clawed his way into the ranks and was given a bunk in Russia.  He scored the game winner in prelim play vs. Norway and then, with everything on the line:

Jamie Benn scored the only goal of the Canada vs. USA matchup.  Team Canada advanced to the Gold Medal game.  A hero was born and,well, you know the rest.

Let’s review.  Tops in team scoring. Captain. Olympic gold medalist.  And now finally Foxy Friday.  Did we mention Benn’s goal and two assists last night in the victory over Carolina?  Currently 8th in a very tight mid-pack Western Conference, the Stars need every win if they’re going to make the playoffs for the first time in six years.

Here’s a profile on Benn from the end of last season:

And another from this year, after he got the shiny C on his chest:

(Two more parts of this: Seguin and Prospects)

You can continue to waste invest your entire day in foxiness with features on Baby Benn (Part 1 and Part 2).  Follow Jamie on Twitter (@jamiebenn14) and Instagram.  Follow his brother too (@dartheighter).

While you’re at it, ask yourself who brings a camera into a sauna.  Or who cares? It’s Friday.

Bonus: The Stars host the Lightning tomorrow at 3 PM Eastern, so you can wisely invest your Saturday too!

Thanks to all of Jamie’s publicists who sent Tweets, emails, gifs and pics.  You’re all hired.  Same pay rate as Intern Jeff Skinner.

Tags: Dallas Stars, jamie benn, jordie benn, Tyler Seguin