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Jordie Benn

Morning Notes: Benn, McGinn, Benoit

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Former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jordie Benn has signed a one-year contract to play for Brynäs IF in the second-tier Swedish league HockeyAllsvenskan. Brynäs IF had been in the top tier SHL for 63 years until they were relegated at the end of last season. The 36-year-old elder brother of Jamie Benn had been on a PTO with the Dallas Stars but was cut earlier this week.

The veteran of 607 NHL games spent last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs but dressed in just 12 NHL games registering a goal and an assist. Benn spent much of last year in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies where he posted two goals and four assists in 23 games while providing a veteran presence to the Marlies’ younger players. Benn was apparently close to signing with Brynäs IF earlier this summer but elected to take the Stars PTO to see if he could hang on to an NHL roster spot. Given Benn’s age and current skillset, it could be very likely that he has played his last game in the NHL.

In other morning notes:

  • CBS Sports is reporting that Anaheim Ducks forward Brock McGinn has been placed on injured reserve effective October 13th. The move means that the earliest McGinn can return from his lower body injury is October 21st. McGinn had been on a day-to-day timeline with the injury but was downgraded yesterday and will likely be replaced in the lineup by recent waiver claim Ross Johnston. McGinn was acquired at the 2023 trade deadline along with a third-round pick in exchange for defenseman Dmitry Kulikov. He is expected to be a regular in the Ducks lineup despite his struggles in recent seasons. Last year McGinn posted 12 goals and seven assists in 75 games and was essentially a cap dump for the Penguins as he still has another year on his contract after this season at a cap hit of $2.75MM.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that they’ve recalled defenseman Simon Benoit for the second time this week. This comes on the heels of the club loaning Benoit to the AHL Toronto Marlies just two days ago. The moves are of little financial consequence to Benoit as he is on a one-way contract and is paid $775K regardless of whether he plays in the NHL or AHL. Benoit is certainly capable of playing in the NHL having dressed in 78 games last season with the Anaheim Ducks where he posted three goals and seven assists. However, given the Maple Leafs precarious salary cap situation he could find himself shuffled back and forth between the NHL and AHL throughout the season as the team tries to maximize salary cap space.

Dallas Stars Sign Jordie Benn To PTO

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The Dallas Stars have signed defenseman Jordie Benn to a PTO that will see the 36-year-old join the team at training camp next month. CapFriendly has reported that Benn will be given a chance to earn a contract with the team that he started his NHL career with in 2011-12. The Victoria, British Columbia native is the older brother of Stars captain Jamie Benn who is coming off a bounce back season and has spent his entire 14-year-career with the team.

Jordie is coming off a season in which he struggled to remain in the NHL. Benn signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in July of 2022 and seemed poised to be their seventh defenseman. However, he struggled with his footspeed and found himself turning the puck over with an alarming frequency. Benn dressed in 12 games for the Leafs and posted just a single goal and one assist. Toronto demoted Benn and he found himself in the AHL for the first time since the 2012-13 season. He fared better with the Toronto Marlies posting two goals and four assists in 23 games but still struggled with his puck handling.

Benn has never been the quickest of skaters, but he isn’t a bad one. However, like most players pushing 40, he has lost a step or two along the way. He doesn’t offer much offensively but he still reads the game well and can contain opponents when the play slows down.

Dallas likely doesn’t have room for Benn to play in the team’s top 6, however, he could crack the Stars lineup as a seventh defenceman. Injuries happen, and as teams have shown over the last few years, it’s never a bad idea to have 8-10 NHL caliber defenceman to rely on in case injuries begin to stack up.

Morning Notes: Fantilli, NCAA Men’s Tournament, Benn

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If there was any doubt that University of Michigan center Adam Fantilli has solidified his placement as the presumptive second-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, it’s shrunk massively over the past few weeks. Fantilli’s assist last night in Michigan’s Big 10 tournament championship victory gave him 11 points in four games at the tournament, setting the all-time record, as reported by NHL.com’s Mike Morreale.

Understandably, he took home Most Outstanding Player honors as well, guiding Michigan to their second consecutive tournament victory over the University of Minnesota. The freshman center enters the national tournament with 61 points in just 33 games this season, and his 1.85 points per game are the highest of any NCAA men’s player since Kyle Connor in 2015-16, also with Michigan.

Among the 2023 draft class, Fantilli’s impressiveness and brilliance have been overshadowed only by Connor Bedard this season. He’ll have one last chance to show what he can do in the college ranks during the national tournament before inevitably turning pro next fall.

More notes from the hockey world this morning:

  • The 16 teams that will make up the field for the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament are set, according to ESPN’s John Buccigross. Minnesota, Quinnipiac, Michigan, Denver, Boston University, Harvard, St. Cloud State, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State, Western Michigan, Cornell, Merrimack, Colgate, and Canisius will all participate in college hockey’s final set of games for 2023. The seeding and first-round matchups will be revealed later this evening after the conclusion of the women’s championships game between Wisconsin and Ohio State.
  • With the playoffs just around the corner, a defensive depth piece in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization may be unavailable to them for a while. Jordie Benn was injured in last night’s AHL Toronto Marlies game and did not return, and Marlies head coach Greg Moore offered no postgame update. Benn, 32, has two points in 12 games while playing for the Maple Leafs this season but has fallen down the depth chart quickly after a flurry of trade deadline adds at the position.

Jordie Benn, Vinni Lettieri Clear Waivers

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Feb 26: Both players have cleared waivers today and can now be assigned to the minor leagues.

Feb 25: On top of Jake Leschyshyn’s previously-reported waiver placement, two others are on the wire today as NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnston reports (Twitter link) that the Maple Leafs have placed defenseman Jordie Benn on waivers while the Bruins have done the same with forward Vinni Lettieri.  Additionally, Johnston tweets that defenseman Kevin Gravel, who was waived yesterday, passed through unclaimed.

Benn has played in 12 games for Toronto this season, picking up a goal and an assist in less than 16 minutes per night while chipping in with 29 blocked shots and 32 hits.  However, he has been eighth on the depth chart for a while and hasn’t suited up for a month now.  The 35-year-old is on a one-year, one-way contract worth the league minimum of $750K and would be a low-cost depth addition for a team looking to shore up some depth.  The impetus for the move from the Maple Leafs is to create some extra cap flexibility as his cost would come off the books entirely if he went unclaimed and was sent to the AHL’s Marlies.  With Matt Murray set to come off LTIR as soon as this week, some roster moves will need to be made for them to be able to do so.

As for Lettieri, he was recalled by the Bruins at the end of January but landed on injured reserve one day later without suiting up.  This placement means that he has been cleared to return.  The 28-year-old has had a productive season with Providence of the AHL, notching 16 goals and 21 assists in 41 games.  He has 82 career NHL appearances under his belt and could be scooped for extra depth but the likelier outcome is that he clears and returns to the AHL.  That would open up an extra $750K in cap room for Boston heading into the trade deadline.

In related news, the Bruins also announced that center Tomas Nosek has been activated off LTIR.  He has been out with a foot injury for a little more than a month.  The 30-year-old has eight points in 42 games this season but is a key penalty killer that has won more than 58% of his faceoffs so far.

Rasmus Sandin Placed On Injured Reserve

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After suffering a neck injury in the Toronto Maple Leafs last game, Rasmus Sandin has been moved to injured reserve. Head coach Sheldon Keefe explained yesterday that the team would be re-evaluating him after the Christmas break, meaning a stint on IR doesn’t necessarily mean he will be out long-term. Sandin must miss at least seven days but the Maple Leafs don’t play again until December 27 after today’s afternoon match with the Philadelphia Flyers.

In his place, the team has recalled Mac Hollowell from the minor leagues. The 24-year-old Hollowell played six games with the team earlier this season when they were dealing with a number of injuries on defense, and has been excellent in the minor leagues with 10 points in 13 games for the Toronto Marlies.

Unfortunately for Hollowell, the team also recently activated Jordie Benn, who will slide into Sandin’s spot in the lineup today. The club is still without Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, Victor Mete, and Carl Dahlstrom, but has still shown a strong defensive ability. Toronto sits second in goals against on the year, having allowed just 79 in 33 games.

Part of that success has been the strong play of Sandin, who has regularly gone over 20 minutes of ice time in the absence of Rielly. The 22-year-old was selected 29th overall in 2018 and has played 121 regular season games so far in his career.

Mac Hollowell Returned To AHL

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With Jordie Benn nearing a return, the Toronto Maple Leafs have sent Mac Hollowell back to the AHL. Given that the team is heading on the road, Benn’s activation seems imminent.

Hollowell, 24, received a chance to make his NHL debut when the Maple Leafs suffered several injuries to their defense and played six games with the team since November 23. In those matches he registered two points, showing off the offensive upside that made him a fourth-round pick even at his small stature. Still, that 5’9″ frame was also tested by the size and strength of NHL players, especially during his short time killing penalties.

While the Maple Leafs might have a useful depth piece, it seems unlikely that Hollowell will become a full-time option for the team at this point. He was essentially replaced in the lineup by Conor Timmins, who has now played in four straight games and had arguably his best game as a professional last night, recording three assists in 18 minutes of ice time.

With Timmins in place, a healthy T.J. Brodie back in the lineup, and Benn close to a return, the Maple Leafs suddenly seem to have plenty of depth at the position again. Morgan Rielly, Victor Mete, and Carl Dahlstrom remain out, but Toronto now ranks second in the league in terms of goals against, allowing just 70 through their first 30 games. Even if Hollowell’s play was relatively encouraging, it will be difficult for him to get many more opportunities if the group continues to get healthy.

East Notes: Panthers, Anisimov, Benn

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While the Panthers were without center Anton Lundell and goaltender Spencer Knight today, both players might be available for tomorrow’s contest against Seattle, relays Florida Hockey Now’s Colby Guy (Twitter links).  Lundell is dealing with a mild upper-body injury but is skating and his absence is supposed to be a short-term one.  He’s off to a quieter start to his sophomore campaign but still has 13 points in 24 games.  As for Knight, he’s working his way back from an illness and while he won’t dress as the backup goalie this afternoon, head coach Paul Maurice indicated that there’s a chance that he’ll be able to start on Sunday.  The youngster has been much better than Sergei Bobrovsky in the early going this season with a GAA nearly a full goal below the veteran.

More from the Eastern Conference:

  • The Flyers have converted veteran center Artem Anisimov’s AHL PTO to a full-season contract, notes Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey (Twitter link). The 34-year-old has played six games since joining them in mid-November and has been productive with three goals and an assist in that stretch.  At the beginning of the month, it was reported that Philadelphia was hoping to convert Anisimov’s deal into an NHL one which would allow them to recall him but they remain at the maximum 50 contracts on the books.  Until they’re able to free one up, Anisimov will have to settle for this full-season AHL agreement.
  • Maple Leafs defenseman Jordie Benn took part in the morning skate today for the first time as he works his way back from an upper-body injury, reports Sports Illustrated’s David Alter (Twitter link). The veteran has been out for a little more than two weeks due to the issue, his second extended absence of the season after missing the first 13 games due to a groin injury.  Benn has a goal and an assist in six games so far while logging a little over 17 minutes a night on Toronto’s back end.

Jordie Benn Moved To Injured Reserve

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are already without Morgan Rielly, T.J. Brodie, and Jake Muzzin, leaving their defensive group a little shorthanded. Last night, Mac Hollowell was forced into extra action in his first-ever NHL game thanks to the early departure of Jordie Benn. Today, head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Mark Masters of TSN that Benn is now on injured reserve and out week-to-week, though the full severity of the injury has yet to be determined.

While the team did just acquire Conor Timmins from the Arizona Coyotes, Toronto isn’t going to force him into the lineup right away. Victor Mete, recalled recently, will be in the lineup next to Hollowell for tomorrow’s game against the Minnesota Wild. Wayne Simmonds was also practicing with the main group, suggesting he’ll be the recall to take Benn’s place on the roster.

The Maple Leafs are now without their three highest-paid defenders, and one of the only depth options that had any real experience. Mete’s 241 NHL games now become the second-highest amount in the group behind Mark Giordano, with Justin Holl’s $2MM cap hit the most expensive. Remember that the team also has Carl Dahlstrom on injured reserve thanks to a preseason injury, meaning five of the organization’s defensemen are unavailable.

Benn, 35, has never been a world-beater but was playing well in his six-game sample with the Maple Leafs, averaging more than 18 minutes a night before exiting early. The team will play in Minnesota, Pittsburgh, and Detroit before heading home for a one-game homestand in the middle of next week.

Toronto Maple Leafs Activate Jordie Benn

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One of the reasons why the Toronto Maple Leafs struggled so much out of the gate was defensive depth, with Jake Muzzin and Timothy Liljegren injured at the same time. Another missing player during that stretch was Jordie Benn, who is now back after being activated off injured reserve.

The Maple Leafs have sent Pontus Holmberg and Victor Mete back to the minor leagues to make room for the incoming veteran defenseman. The team also released Danny DeKeyser from his AHL professional tryout contract.

Benn, 35, signed a one-year, $750K contract with the Maple Leafs this summer as a potential seventh or eighth defenseman but suffered an injury in training camp that has kept him out the first month of the season. The veteran of 595 regular season games will give the team a different look on the back end, should they decide to insert him into the lineup.

More physical than any of the team’s other defenders, he could add some bite to the third pairing should they suffer another injury. With Liljegren back the group has seemed to stabilize for the time being but a lot of pressure will be put on the defense as they deal with injuries to both Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov.

Carl Dahlstrom To Undergo Surgery

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The Toronto Maple Leafs thought they had a bit of defensive depth going into the season but that is quickly evaporating. After having to play Alexander Kerfoot and Calle Jarnkrok on the blueline in their last preseason game, the team has announced timelines for two injured defensemen. Carl Dahlstrom will require surgery and be out six months after injuring his shoulder, while Jordie Benn is going to miss three weeks with a groin injury, according to David Alter of Sports Illustrated.

The injuries obviously aren’t ideal, but there at least was a bit of a silver lining in it for Maple Leafs fans. After seeing the team move forwards to cover those spots, restricted free agent Rasmus Sandin ended his contract negotiations and agreed to the deal that had been on the table for months. That softens some of the blow but losing Dahlstrom and Benn is still a problem, regardless of whether they were in line for big minutes.

With Jake Muzzin and Timothy Liljegren already dealing with injuries, and Toronto relying on Mark Giordano, the oldest skater in the league, the vibes in Maple Leafs camp certainly weren’t all that positive. With another injury or two, things could quickly look rather thin on the back end, if they aren’t there already. Victor Mete, another league-minimum signing, now looks like the default seventh defensemen, and that is if Muzzin is healthy enough to start the year.

Beyond him, the team’s depth is made up of unproven young players like Filip Kral and Mac Hollowell. In fact, there has suddenly been some chatter connecting Toronto with Jakob Chychrun, likely only because of these early injuries. Whether a deal of that magnitude is completed, or the team just goes and signs another veteran off the scrap heap, it does seem like the Maple Leafs will need to add someone to the organization.

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