The Detroit Red Wings have been around for over a century, and, in that time, they've compiled a list of enemies. From the infamous Claude Lemieux to Marc-Andre Fleury, the Red Wings have no shortage of foes they can reference.
One of the more recent enemies on this list is Dallas Stars winger/center Jamie Benn.
A few seasons back, Benn cut then-captain Dylan Larkin's season short with a cross check to the back of the neck, knocking the top center out for the remainder of the season. Benn suffered no consequence for this. Now, years later, Red Wings fans still have some bad blood for Benn, offering him choruses of boos and raining down insults whenever he sets foot on the ice.
But that was then. This is now. Jamie Benn, for the first time in his career, is approaching free agency and may very well consider a team besides the Stars. This might be the perfect opportunity for the Red Wings to finally find a guy who's willing to do the dirty work for them. A guy who is willing to put his body on the line if his teammates are injured or attacked by the opposition.
This is why the Red Wings should consider Jamie Benn.
Benn is older, but affordable
Remember what James van Riemsdyk brought to the table? Think of that but with more sandpaper toughness. That's what the Red Wings get from signing a guy like Benn. While he is a little older (he'll be 37 when the season starts), AFP Analytics projects his contract at a one-year, $1.2M deal. That's about as low risk as it can get.
If Benn manages to put together another 15-goal, 36-point season - or if he returns to a 45-50 point form - he'll immediately provide the most value with goals per contract on the team. Benn can play up and down the lineup as needed, providing junkyard dog-like tenacity to a team in desperate need of an identity.
If he regresses and continues to fall in production, his physicality alone will make him more useful than guys like, say, Michael Rasmussen.
What signing Benn means for the bottom-six
Now, there might be a few people that believe signing Benn blocks prospects. That issue can be easily rectified. As of right now, two (three, if you count Dylan Larkin) roster spots are open at forward: one from David Perron and one from James van Riemsdyk's departure. Assuming Carter Mazur is a full-time participant on the fourth line, Perron and van Riemsdyk's openings can be filled with Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Jamie Benn, rounding out one tough-as-nails bottom-six.
If other players knock on the door like, say, Nate Danielson, a player like Michael Rasmussen could (and should) be bought out to free up a spot.
No matter how you slice it, signing Jamie Benn to a low-risk deal is a huge get for a team in search of its identity.
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