Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel has called on the NHL to increase Jamie Benn fine from $5,000 to $50,000 and suspend him from play Game 6, following a filthy and life-threatening act against Winnipeg Jets captain Mark Scheifele…

Jets Coach Demands Harsh Penalty After “Criminal Act” by Jamie Benn in Game 5 Clash

The Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars’ intense first-round playoff series took a dark and controversial turn Thursday night after an incident involving Stars captain Jamie Benn and Jets forward Mark Scheifele at the end of Game 5.

Winnipeg Jets interim head coach Scott Arniel issued a scathing rebuke of Benn during the post-game press conference, calling for the NHL to increase Benn’s fine from $5,000 to $50,000 and to suspend the veteran forward for Game 6. Arniel described Benn’s actions as “filthy and life-threatening,” escalating the stakes of a series already defined by physicality, grit, and rising tensions.

“That was a criminal act, not a hockey play,” Arniel stated bluntly, holding nothing back. “You can talk about intensity and playoff emotion all you want, but there’s a line—and Jamie Benn crossed it. That wasn’t just dangerous, it was intentional. It put a player’s safety and career at risk.”

The Incident

The controversial play occurred with just 34 seconds left in the third period of Game 5, with the Jets trailing 4–2 and pulling their goalie in a desperate attempt to force overtime. After a loose puck chase near the boards, Benn delivered a brutal cross-check to Scheifele’s upper body as the Jets captain appeared to be off balance and unprotected. Replays showed Benn lifting his stick and driving it directly into Scheifele’s neck area, sending him crashing awkwardly to the ice.Scheifele lay motionless for several moments before being helped off the ice by medical staff. He did not return to the game, and his status for Game 6 remains uncertain.

“It was terrifying,” said Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, who was on the ice at the time. “You never want to see a teammate go down like that. That kind of hit has no place in hockey—especially from a guy wearing the ‘C’.”

Benn received a two-minute minor penalty for roughing but was not assessed a major or misconduct on the play, sparking immediate outrage from the Jets bench and fanbase.

League Response So Far

As of Friday morning, the NHL Department of Player Safety had issued only a $5,000 fine—the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement—for Benn’s actions. No suspension has been announced, though the league said it is still “reviewing the incident.”

That decision has not sat well with the Jets organization.

“We’ve talked a lot this season about protecting players and setting examples,” said Arniel. “If this isn’t worthy of a harsher penalty, then what is?”

The coach pointed to recent suspensions for similar infractions and emphasized that Scheifele’s role as team captain and offensive leader makes the act even more egregious. “Targeting a star player in that way with the game already decided is not just reckless—it’s calculated,” Arniel said.

Fallout and Tensions Escalate

Game 5 had already been a heated affair, with 58 combined penalty minutes and multiple post-whistle scrums. Dallas used their physical edge to control much of the play, outshooting Winnipeg 34–26 and dominating puck possession in the final period.

But it was Benn’s late-game hit that overshadowed the Stars’ performance.

Dallas head coach Pete DeBoer defended his captain after the game, calling the hit “unfortunate” but “part of the battle.”

“Jamie plays hard every shift. He’s not out there trying to hurt people,” DeBoer said. “It was a tough play in a high-pressure moment. I don’t think it warrants more than the fine he got.”

The comment only poured fuel on the fire in Winnipeg, where fans and players alike expressed disbelief at the lack of a stronger response.

Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers called the hit “a disgrace,” while alternate captain Adam Lowry said the team would “rally around Mark” heading into Game 6.

“We’re going to make sure this series doesn’t end here,” Lowry said. “We owe it to Scheif, and we owe it to ourselves.”

What’s Next

The Jets now trail the series 3–2 heading into Game 6, which will take place Saturday night at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. With their backs against the wall and their captain’s health in jeopardy, the pressure on the Jets has never been higher.

If Scheifele is unable to play, the team is expected to move Ehlers to center the top line, with Cole Perfetti likely sliding into a larger role.The NHL has until Saturday morning to finalize any potential disciplinary action against Benn. As of this writing, there has been no indication that a suspension is forthcoming, though sources close to the situation suggest that internal league discussions are ongoing.

Jets fans, meanwhile, are making their voices heard. A petition demanding Benn’s suspension garnered over 40,000 signatures overnight, while #SuspendBenn trended across Canadian Twitter through much of Friday morning.

As emotions run high and the stakes rise even further, Game 6 promises not only to be a battle for playoff survival—but potentially a referendum on what kind of play the NHL is willing to tolerate.