Prospect Info: Michael Benning (2020, #95 overall), Univ. of Denver (NCAA)

[SoupyFIN]

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[Dread Clawz]

Nice pick, a talented offensive D.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Part of hockey royalty, Michael Benning‘s grandfather, Elmer Benning was a long-time scout for the Montreal Canadiens. His father, Brian Benning was a second-round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 1984 and played over 500 NHL games. His uncle, Jim Benning was a Toronto Maple Leafs first-round pick and played over 600 games. He is the general manager of the Vancouver Canucks. His brother, Matt Benning plays for the Edmonton Oilers.

Benning opted to play for the Sherwood Park Crusaders in the AJHL to keep his college options open. He is committed to playing for the University of Denver Pioneers next season. Benning has been dominant this year. He put up 12 goals and 63 assists for 75 points in 54 games. Benning had the most points by a defenceman in the AJHL. He was also named the AJHL and CJHL’s Most Outstanding Defenceman and a league All-Star. Benning played for Team Canada West at the WJAC. Last season, Benning scored 10 goals and 51 assists for 61 points in 60 games. He added nine points in 12 playoff games. It was the most points by an AJHL defenceman and won him the league’s Rookie of the Year award.


Michael Benning Scouting Report: 2020 NHL Draft #75

 

[RealHumanBean]

Jim Benning is his uncle

 

[violaswallet]

@TheImpatientPanther

happy? You get a D; I get Lundell?

 

[Dread Clawz]

Jim Benning is his uncle

Also, Brian Benning is his dad, who played for us for a couple years.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

The future Yandle-replacement.
aka Sonk Jr.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

 

[Pigge]

Did they pick him to lure Matt to sign with the Panthers?

 

[iam76]

cool. so hes our new finklestein

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

@TheImpatientPanther

happy? You get a D; I get Lundell?

He's a RD at least.
Next year, evvvvvery damn pick better be a D.
Makar lite as comparable

 

[letsgrowcactus]

He's a RD at least.
Next year, evvvvvery damn pick better be a D.
Makar lite as comparable

Nah... we'll go drafting wingers and goalies

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Did I read he had similar stats to Makar in the AJHL?

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

Did I read he had similar stats to Makar in the AJHL?

Yup. There was also some other dman with rather high point totals but not even close to Benning's numbas.
e: Tim Rego

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Yup. There was also some other dman with rather high point totals but not even close to Benning's numbas.
e: Tim Rego

Pick em up in the 6th or 7th round then
He had 24g/61pts in 54 games as rook overager, turns 20 October 31st

 

[ShootIt]

Think we can trade him to Vancouver for Pettersson?
C'mon Jim, it's nephew. Why do you hate him?

 

[vendetta]

Did they pick him to lure Matt to sign with the Panthers?

I hope so

 

[Dread Clawz]

Eh, Michael Benning is as good a player as Matt imo. They play.different styles, but Benning was rated by some in the 2nd/3rd. The prototypical modern defenseman, he pushes the pace from the backend, joins the attack, relies on skating and hockey sense. He's 5'9", but he's pretty thick at 177 lbs. You don't really want him to get too much bigger at that height anyway.

 

[IceManCat]

We've been talking about Lundell, but this kid is a potential steal

 

[Prominence Problem]

He's been putting up points to start the year, which is great. Just as advertised.

I want to see or hear how he is defensively though. The odds are against him being listed at 5'8, 5'9, or whatever. Defenseman under 6 feet already have the odds against them.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

He's been putting up points to start the year, which is great. Just as advertised.

I want to see or hear how he is defensively though. The odds are against him being listed at 5'8, 5'9, or whatever. Defenseman under 6 feet already have the odds against them.

Denver site has him listed at 5'8, 178lbs
Capfriendly has him at 5'9, 177lbs
Elite Prospects has him at 5'10, 174lbs

Quinn Hughes is 5'10, 170lbs
Makar is 5'11, 187lbs
Krug is 5'9, 186lbs
for comparison

At 175lbs, he can't be that skinny if he's 5'9.
Can likely get above 180 and settle in around that weight and get stronger in the weight room.
His speed is impressive and seems very confident with the puck in the OZ.
If he can make it one day, him paired with a Stillman/Ludvig/Kolyachonok type could work out stylistically.

 

[violaswallet]

We've been talking about Lundell, but this kid is a potential steal

That’s rude: Lundell is a special person in my heart and only the names McDavid, Gretzky and Lemieux should be mentioned in the same sentence

 

[violaswallet]

Denver site has him listed at 5'8, 178lbs
Capfriendly has him at 5'9, 177lbs
Elite Prospects has him at 5'10, 174lbs

Quinn Hughes is 5'10, 170lbs
Makar is 5'11, 187lbs
Krug is 5'9, 186lbs
for comparison

At 175lbs, he can't be that skinny if he's 5'9.
Can likely get above 180 and settle in around that weight and get stronger in the weight room.
His speed is impressive and seems very confident with the puck in the OZ.
If he can make it one day, him paired with a Stillman/Ludvig/Kolyachonok type could work out stylistically.

Problem is no combine measurement: I’m guessing that this is a case of shoes/skates/barefoot.

short defensemen sometime work: see Spurgeon. My worry is if he can become positionally sound enough for the NHL; I’m
Not sure Florida has the development capacity yet

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Problem is no combine measurement: I’m guessing that this is a case of shoes/skates/barefoot.

short defensemen sometime work: see Spurgeon. My worry is if he can become positionally sound enough for the NHL; I’m
Not sure Florida has the development capacity yet

Scouting articles say his skating and hockey IQ allows him to keep good gap control and he isn't afraid to go to corners or push out front but he does get outmuscled.
NCAA route allows for more gym time to get stronger/quicker.

He's a 4th forward no doubt but his fave player is Josi and he gets comparison style to Makar-lite.
Our development with mid round picks on defense have been better than at forward imo.
Just wish we had even one elite D prospect.
If two of Stillman, Ludvig, Gildon, Benning can lock up #4-6 D roles for 3-4 years, it'd show some good development.

 

[Dread Clawz]

He's at least 5'9". He doesn't look that much shorter than Savoie. He's also fairly thick for that age/size. There are several 5'9" d-men in the nhl. My concern with him isn't really his size, but as has been said, if he can hold his own in his own end. But even then, we could use him as a 7th d-man option that only plays pp.