Restricted free agent center Jamie Benn has signed with Hamburg Freezers in Germany's DEL, per a press release posted today on the team's official site.

The deal is for the rest of the season, but contains an NHL out-clause for when the lockout ends and when Benn re-signs with the Stars. The option of remaining in Germany the rest of the season could potentially be used as leverage by Dallas' first-line center if he has not happy with the contract offer the Stars present after a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached between the NHL and the NHLPA.

In addition to Benn, another Stars forward has opted to play overseas. Checking forward Tom Wandell has signed with the KHL's Severstal Cherepovets. He had previously been linked to negotiations with his original Swedish team, Södertälje SK.

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There were no major surprises in HockeyBuzz readers' selections of the top 7 wingers for the Ultimate Stars/North Stars team for the HB Ultimate Team League. Brett Hull (82 percent inclusion by voters), Dino Ciccarelli (65%), Brenden Morrow (62%), Jere Lehtinen (47%), Bill Guerin (45%), Brian Bellows (43%) and Jamie Langenbrunner (42%) get the automatic starting roster spots on the wing.

Loui Eriksson (41%) narrowly missed out to Langenbrunner on an automatic spot, but stands a very good chance to capture one of the two remaining roster spots in the run-off ballot with the other wingers and centers who did not earn spots the first time around. The centers already voted into the starting lineup are Mike Modano, Joe Nieuwendyk, Brad Richards and Neal Broten.

Today, we'll pick the starting blueline and reserve (7th) defenseman, determined by the top 6 finishers and the 7th-place finisher. Tomorrow come the goalies. On Thursday, we'll do the forward run-off. On Friday, I'll come up with line combinations and special teams units.






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