Player Discussion Matt Benning

oobga

Tier 2 Fan
Aug 1, 2003
22,936
17,813
So many times this year Benning has needed a night off, but we just could not give it to him because a certain guy sat on his hands all summer. Should really not have been unexpected that he would struggle in his 2nd season with the org letting him drown night after night with more responsibility than he can handle.

Hopefully he can take a step forward next year. I wouldn't give up on him yet, unless someone is willing to do a trade with us where they are giving us top 4D value for Benning. I think he could be a good top 4 guy still in 2-3 years.
 

nabob

Big Daddy Kane
Aug 3, 2005
34,312
20,710
HF boards
It's unfair to blame this guy for anything. He is what he is, a young inconsistent NHL defenceman who is barely being paid anything. It's Chia who expected everybody to automatically improve to fill the Sekera void this year.

Benning doesn't play the left side. He didn't fill Sekera's void. That was Nurse.
 

nabob

Big Daddy Kane
Aug 3, 2005
34,312
20,710
HF boards
IMO, when you have a major player out, that ultimately forces other guys to step up no matter what side they play.

Nurse moved from the bottom pairing into the top 4. It actually does matter what side they play.

Benning got a little bit of Sekera's PP time. That should be viewed a more of an opportunity to succeed than a burden.
 
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McDNicks17

Moderator
Jul 1, 2010
41,588
29,948
Ontario
Most fans did. The coaches however still had Benning on the bottom pairing to start the season. Most fans here were very down on Nurse and a lot of them thought Benning would be a better player because of "low hockey IQ" reasons.

I think there's a very clear difference between Nurse's struggles from last season and Benning's struggles this season.

Nurse was consistently getting the puck, getting his head up and giving himself a chance to make the correct play, but ended up making a late or wrong read. That's the kind of problem a lot of young defensemen have.

Benning, on the other hand, consistently gets the puck and sweeps it in some direction without even looking. That, to me, is an actual sign of having low hockey IQ. Combine that with his below average size and poor skating and I have a hard time being too optimistic about his future.
 

nabob

Big Daddy Kane
Aug 3, 2005
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I think there's a very clear difference between Nurse's struggles from last season and Benning's struggles this season.

Nurse was consistently getting the puck, getting his head up and giving himself a chance to make the correct play, but ended up making a late or wrong read. That's the kind of problem a lot of young defensemen have.

Benning, on the other hand, consistently gets the puck and sweeps it in some direction without even looking. That, to me, is an actual sign of having low hockey IQ. Combine that with his below average size and poor skating and I have a hard time being too optimistic about his future.

Totally agree a person would have had to have a low hockey IQ to think that Benning had a higher hockey IQ than Nurse. Not to mention Nurse having superior skills in every single way.
 
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MettleMcOiler

5-14-6-1
Mar 9, 2011
4,235
5,227
Edmonton
Benning has been noticeable but in the wrong way. Many have mentioned them already but those god awful turnovers in his d-zone are infuriating. I just can't see him on this team long term.
As much as everyone wants Dahlin even though we have a logjam of LHD.
If we miss out on him, I pray we draft a RHD like Boqvist, Bouchard or Dobson so they can make Benning expendable and move him.
That is how much I dislike Bennings game this year.
I rather have a rookie RHD take his place next season.
 

walktheboulavard

Registered User
Jul 8, 2016
9,122
11,182
The stare down Puljujarvi gave Benning after he iced the puck with his head down last game was pure gold:laugh:. That's the collective look we all share when Benning is used as anything more than a bottom pairing D. The guy can't win a foot race, a board battle, or move pucks. And, to compound all this he came in with unrealistic expectations from some fans and probably this coaching staff, I mean they still throw him out there in the last minute of the Calgary game so he can be hemmed in and shorten our life expectancy. In saying that, I think he has some value if he is exclusively deployed as third pair with someone who is decent puck mover with wheels.
 

Aerchon

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
10,491
3,668
I actually think Klefbom has been worse this season. Thats sad.

I don't think its even a question that Klefbom has been worse than Benning if you look at the whole year. Currently Benning is obviuosly worse, but overall Klefbom has the goat horns.

Klefbom is still struggling relatively speaking and has absolutely hung Benning out to dry often on a nightly basis. While improving he still is just not helping the Oilers win. Ditto Benning but I have more sympathy for Benning than Klefbom. Higher expectations, cap hit, and for all his nightly bad pinches and lost positioning... He has far too few points to show for it.
 

thadd

Oil4Life
Jun 9, 2007
26,717
2,718
Canada
Benning is a stud in the making.
Dude hadn't played a single game of pro hockey before last season.
That being said someone forgot to tell PC that we needed a 2nd pairing guy when he went out and signed him.
Guess he didn't get our memo.
 

Tobias Kahun

Registered User
Oct 3, 2017
41,661
50,516
I don't think its even a question that Klefbom has been worse than Benning if you look at the whole year. Currently Benning is obviuosly worse, but overall Klefbom has the goat horns.

Klefbom is still struggling relatively speaking and has absolutely hung Benning out to dry often on a nightly basis. While improving he still is just not helping the Oilers win. Ditto Benning but I have more sympathy for Benning than Klefbom. Higher expectations, cap hit, and for all his nightly bad pinches and lost positioning... He has far too few points to show for it.
Klefbom is good for atleast 1 bad pinch a game
 

Mr Positive

Cap Crunch Incoming
Nov 20, 2013
35,799
16,187
Benning is still an important prospect for us. (and unfortunately that's what he kind of is)

If Nurse can turn into what he just turned into this season, then Benning could be our next Vatanen or Barrie if he can break out
 

MinimaMoralia

Registered User
May 1, 2015
1,782
826
Benning is still an important prospect for us. (and unfortunately that's what he kind of is)

If Nurse can turn into what he just turned into this season, then Benning could be our next Vatanen or Barrie if he can break out

You very much live up to your username, good sir. Kudos.
 

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