ALPHA PUP

Do you think Jamie Benn knows that he is already one of the top five two-way forwards in the National Hockey League?

He is. And he has the talent to become the very best.

Those "best ones" are the players that can dominate a game in two directions and possess the following characteristics: smart, swift skating, strong with the puck, poised with the puck, have an inner drive to get pucks back, kill penalties, score on the powerplay, work to stay on the right side of the play, and dictate the pace of play.

Cross-reference those traits with Jamie's skill set and you get: check, check, check, gold star, check, check, check, check, and check.

Add improved face-off winning ability and permanent deployment at center, and you'd have a barely 20-something player who is routinely the alpha on the ice.

Benn might not realize all this - he might be too busy playing on three different lines a night to take stock - but his teammates, peers, and astute observers sure do, and I'm glad to have a front row seat to his continuing ascent.