"Suspend Jamie Benn" "Im outraged": NHL fans react as $1.65 billion franchise gets fined for making players practice during holiday break

The NHL will reportedly fine the Dallas Stars for practicing during the holiday break. The Stars held what was considered to be an optional skate on Dec. 26. The collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and NHLPA does not allow for any on-ice team activities during the Christmas break, which ran from Dec. 24-26. TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger confirmed this news on X on Sunday.

Fans quickly took to the comments section with their reactions.

"Suspend Jamie Benn," one fan wrote.

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"Personally. I'm outraged," another fan wrote.

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"If this was Phoenix or Ottawa they'd take away pics. Gary is a joke," another fan said.

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More fans shared their opinions on the news.

"Well worth it. They needed the practice," one fan said.

"They didn't look like they practiced," another fan wrote.

"You’re a hockey player but you cant skate during the holidays? Dumbest rule in the CBA," another fan said.

On Friday, the Stars lost 3-2 in overtime after blowing a 2-0 lead in the third quarter against the Minnesota Wild. It was their first game back after the holiday break.

It remains to be seen if the news will have any impact on the Stars as they return to action on Sunday at home in a divisional matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks. The puck drops at 8:30 p.m. EST.

The NHL has fined other teams in the past for violating the holiday break rules

The Dallas Stars are not the first team that the NHL has penalized for violating the collective bargaining agreement in relation to the Christmas break.

As reported by The Athletic on Sunday, the Toronto Maple Leafs were fined $100,000 by the NHL in 2022 for flying the night before the official conclusion of the holiday break. The Philadelphia Flyers were also fined $100,000 by the league for a similar violation in 2015 when they flew to Nashville for a game earlier than they were allowed to.

The NHL clearly has no tolerance for teams disobeying the simple rules that have been agreed upon by the league and the players' association.

About the author

Jackson Weber is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bcomm degree in Business and Sport Management from the University of Guelph.

Jackson has grown up as a lifelong Pittsburgh Penguins fan. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are his all-time favorite players. Watching the Penguins win the Stanley Cup three times is an experience that Jackson will never forget. Years later, you realize how rare it is to see your favorite team win even once, so three championships were just incredible.

When not watching, playing, or writing about sports, Jackson loves to cook and is passionate about health and nutrition.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez