The Toronto Maple Leafs' Newest Acquisition: What Matt Benning Brings to the Defense
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenseman Matt Benning in a trade for Timothy Liljegren and added a solid contributor for Toronto as their youth develops.
Benning, a 30-year-old who was drafted originally by the Boston Bruins (6th Round, 175th overall) is a solid third-pairing defenseman who has built up a decent career so far in the NHL. Typically not an offensive machine, he does have 102 points in 464 career games and does a lot of the little things that help facilitate the offense.
There's also the fact that Benning will help the Maple Leafs on their penalty kill. Last season, his team allowed only five shorthanded goals while he was on the ice in limited games but averages under 10 per season for his career. Not bad considering how much he is on the ice for the PK. Presumably, we are going to see Jani Hakanpaa and Benning together once Hakanpaa returns, and for now, it will be the 'Killer B's' of Benning and Simon Benoit.
Benning also comes at a lower cap cost than Liljegren and is signed for next season as well. This is big as Toronto has secured their Top-4 and won't need to be scrambling to find pieces to fit the last pair. If Hakanpaa can come back from his injury and play the elite shutdown defense he's known for, Toronto has their entire defense locked up if they want: Just extend both men.
Toronto is going to have some money to play with this summer, and if shoring up defense is so vital to Brad Treliving, he should either go all-in for someone like Adam Larsson and Esa Lindell; or take that money and pay Mikko Rantanen instead. Hakanpaa and Benning would be cheap options that allow Toronto to pay a premium forward or third-line center, or sign John Tavares to a hometown discount. Either way, Benning is a positive.
He also has a rich history in the NHL, with his brother Michael Benning drafted by the Panthers in 2020, and is the nephew of former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman and former Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning. He certainly has a reputation to live up to, but if anyone can do it, it's Benning.
