Cage Match: Has Brad Marchand Surpassed Jamie Benn?
Rick Roos
2018-01-17
Has Brad Marchand surpassed Jamie Benn in terms of fantasy value?
Another rarity this week, as a marquee combatant – Jamie Benn – is someone I’ve never covered since I took over Cage Match several years ago. His opponent? Brad Marchand. Has the pendulum officially swung to Marchand being a better fantasy asset than Benn, who only three seasons ago was the Art Ross winner but now is in danger of finishing below the point-per-game mark for the second straight season? Let’s find out – Cage Match stats now!
Career Path and Contract Status
Benn, 28, wasn’t selected until 129th overall in 2007; but after 147 points in 107 WHL games over the next two seasons, he became a Stars regular for 2009-10. After a point-per-every-other-game rookie campaign, he tallied 153 points in 181 games in two injury-affected seasons plus lockout-shortened 2012-13. From there Benn only got better, first posting 79 points, then 87 to capture the Art Ross, then topping that with 89 in 2015-16. But last season he dipped to 69 points in 77 games, igniting concern that perhaps his rugged style of play may have led to him losing a step.
Marchand, 29, was drafted in 2006; and although snagged earlier than Benn (71st overall), his path to the NHL was longer, consisting of more than 100 AHL games before his first full season (2010-11) with the Bs. Until 2016-17, Marchand had an up-and-down NHL tenure, with 144 total points in 203 total games (58-point full season pace) sandwiched between a 41-point first season and 42 points as recently as 2014-15. But in 2015-16 he jumped to 61 points, only to follow that in spectacular fashion with 85 points in 80 games last season.
Both are signed through 2024-25; but Benn’s cap hit ($9.5M) per season is 50 percent more than Marchand’s ($6.125M), making this a one-sided match in cap leagues.
Ice Time (2017-18 stats in this and other tables are current through January 14 games)
Season |
Total Ice Time per game (rank among team’s forwards) |
PP Ice Time per game (rank among team’s forwards) |
SH Ice Time per game (rank among team’s forwards) |
2017-18 |
19:25 (J.B.) – 3rd 20:00 (B.M.) – 1st |
3:00 (J.B.) – 3rd 3:04 (B.M.) – 3rd |