Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars set for Western Conference final clash

Pete DeBoer met with his captain shortly after arriving in Texas.

The message from the Dallas Stars head coach to Jamie Benn in June 2022 was clear.

And the veteran forward was fully on board.

"There's no agenda there," DeBoer recalled Wednesday. "Other than wanting to win."

A former Art Ross Trophy winner and Olympic gold medallist, Benn was still an important piece. He was also going to be moved down the lineup, play alongside a rookie centre, and have his minutes reduced.

"Didn't blink," DeBoer said of that first conversation. "It was, 'If this helps us win, I'm all in.' You'd love 20 of those guys."

The Stars might not have 20 versions of Jamie Benn, but they have a committed, well-balanced attack heading into Thursday's Western Conference final opener against Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the high-flying Edmonton Oilers.

"We've built a culture," Benn said. "We're a confident group, we're a deep team. Now it's on us to do something with that."

That "something" is winning the Stanley Cup — an as-yet-elusive prize he desperately craves alongside a trio of veteran teammates.

The 34-year-old winger has played more than 1,100 regular-season games in the NHL, fellow forward Joe Pavelski's number sits at over 1,300 contests, and defenceman Ryan Suter is just shy of 1,450.

Matt Duchene, meanwhile, is fourth on the list with more than 1,050 games.

"It's the only reason I'm playing," the 39-year-old Suter said of the chance to hoist hockey's holy grail.

Bought out by the Nashville Predators last summer, the 33-year-old Duchene circled the Stars as a team with unfinished business.

"Felt like this would be a really hungry, determined group," he said. "These guys are winners that just haven't won yet."

Dallas, which captured