Benning was placed on waivers by the Maple Leafs on Monday, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reports.
Benning was traded from the Sharks to the Maple Leafs in late October, but he hasn't yet suited up for Toronto. The 30-year-old will likely head to the minors if he clears waivers.
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Maple Leafs' Matt Benning: Flipped to Toronto
Rotowire
Benning was traded from the Sharks to the Maple Leafs on Wednesday, along with a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick, in exchange for Timothy Liljegren.
Benning went minus-5 with nine hits, 10 blocked shots and seven shots on goal over seven games with the Sharks prior to the trade. The 30-year-old defenseman may struggle to get into the lineup for the Maple Leafs, but he has a $1.25 million cap hit compared to Liljegren's $3 million AAV, so this saves Toronto some money. Benning doesn't offer much scoring upside, but he brings a physical element.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Nets lone goal in loss
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Benning scored a goal, added three hits and blocked two shots in Tuesday's 3-1 preseason loss to Utah.
Benning opened the scoring at 12:33 of the second period, but the Sharks couldn't get that lead to the intermission. The 30-year-old defenseman is not guaranteed a spot on the Opening Night roster, but he could carve out a role as an extra blueliner. Benning's path to making the roster could be easier if Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper body) and Shakir Mukhamadullin (lower body) require stints on injured reserve to begin the season.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Back at practice
Rotowire
Benning (lower body) returned to practice Sunday, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning is back in action for the Sharks after missing Friday's practice with a minor injury. The 30-year-old blueliner is competing for a bottom-pairing role in San Jose after logging two assists in 14 games last season.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Deemed day-to-day
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Benning (lower body) is regarded as day-to-day, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports Friday.
Benning might be unavailable for some preseason action because of the injury, but he's still expected to be fine for Opening Night against St. Louis on Oct 10. He had two assists in 14 outings with the Sharks in 2023-24.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: On track for camp
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Benning (hip) is expected to be healthy to start training camp, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
General manager Mike Grier recently said Benning has progressed well in his recovery from hip surgery in January, which was expected to sideline the defenseman for five months. The 30-year-old blueliner will be in the running for a bottom-four role in training camp, while the Sharks' offseason additions of Jake Walman and Cody Ceci creates more competition among the team's veterans on defense.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Done for season
Rotowire
Benning underwent successful hip surgery, general manager Mike Grier said Thursday, and will be out of action five months.
That would put Benning out for the season as the Sharks are at the bottom of the NHL standings. Benning ends the season with two assists, 29 blocked shots and 15 hits in 14 games. He should be ready for the start of training camp in September.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Out indefinitely
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Benning (lower body) is out indefinitely, coach David Quinn told Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now on Wednesday.
Benning hasn't played since Dec. 1 due to the injury. He has two assists, 15 hits and 29 blocks in 14 contests this season. When Benning returns, he might serve in a top-four capacity, though he likely won't have a role on the power play.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Shifts to IR
Rotowire
Benning (lower body) was moved to injured reserve Tuesday, per the NHL media site.
Benning, who is considered week-to-week, hasn't been in the lineup since Dec. 3 against the Rangers. He has collected two assists, 13 shots on goal, 29 blocked shots and 15 hits across 14 appearances this season.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Deemed week-to-week
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Benning (lower body) is considered week-to-week, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning, who didn't play in the past two games, doesn't have an exact timetable for his return yet. He has registered two assists, 13 shots on goal, 29 blocked shots and 15 hits across 14 appearances this season. The Sharks brought up Henry Thrun from AHL San Jose on Saturday to serve as an extra defender.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Activated off injured reserve
Rotowire
Benning (undisclosed) was taken off injured reserve Friday.
Jan Rutta (undisclosed) was moved to IR in a corresponding move. Benning has an assist, seven hits and 18 blocks in eight games this season. He might draw into the lineup as Rutta's replacement, but it's also possible that Marc-Edouard Vlasic will take that spot, which would potentially leave Benning as a healthy scratch.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Nearing return to action
Rotowire
Benning (undisclosed) is close to getting back into the lineup according to head coach David Quinn, Max Miller of The Hockey News reports Monday.
Benning played in eight games prior to getting hurt in which he recorded one assist, seven hits and 18 blocked shots while averaging 18:29 of ice time per game. Even once cleared to play, Benning is far from a lock to play and could find himself periodically watching from the press box as a healthy scratch. As such, he shouldn't be expected to offer much in the way of fantasy value outside of blocks.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Lands on injured reserve
Rotowire
Benning was designated for injured reserve Tuesday with an undisclosed injury, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning wasn't on the ice for practice Tuesday after reportedly blocking a shot versus the Capitals on Saturday, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. On the year, the 29-year-old Benning has garnered just one assist to go with nine shots, seven hits and six PIM. The defenseman will likely be replaced in the lineup by Jacob MacDonald or Nikita Okhotyuk, who were both just taken off injured reserve Tuesday.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Good to go
Rotowire
Benning (lower body) will return to the lineup Sunday versus the Capitals, per Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News.
Benning sat out Friday's 3-0 loss to Carolina due to a lingering lower-body issue. He has one assist, eight shots on goal, 16 blocked shots and seven hits in seven appearances this season. Coach David Quinn didn't say whom Benning will replace on the blue line in Sunday's contest.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Dealing with lower-body injury
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Benning missed Friday's game against Carolina due to a lingering lower-body issue, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning has been playing through the injury but was given a night off Friday. It doesn't sound like a serious issue, so he could be back in the lineup Sunday in Washington. The 29-year-old blueliner has one assist in seven games this season.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Slings assist in shootout loss
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Benning logged an assist, five blocked shots and two PIM in Saturday's 2-1 shootout loss to the Avalanche.
Benning picked up his first point of the year when he set up Thomas Bordeleau's goal in the first period. The 29-year-old Benning is one of the most experienced members of the Sharks' blue line this year, so he should be a fixture in a top-four role. He's racked up five blocks, four PIM and one hit in addition to his assist through two contests in 2023-24.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Set to return versus Avs
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Benning (lower body) is slated to play in Tuesday's matchup with Colorado, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning will be back in action following a two-game absence due to his lower-body problem. It's been 58 straight games since the blueliner found the back of the net, so fantasy players probably shouldn't be expecting him to tickle the twine any time soon.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Not expected to play Saturday
Rotowire
Benning (lower body) is listed among the scratches for Saturday's game versus the Coyotes, per the NHL media site.
Benning is expected to miss his second straight game and his third in the last five contests. Henry Thrun will continue to log bottom-four minutes in place of Benning, who will try to return for Tuesday's home game versus the Avalanche.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Not playing Thursday
Rotowire
Benning (lower body) will not play against Vegas on Thursday, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning missed a game in Vancouver a week ago and while he played in each of his last two games, he has not been 100 percent. Benning has a goal, 23 assists, 117 blocked shots and 98 hits this season.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Playing Saturday
Rotowire
Benning (undisclosed) will play Saturday versus the Flames, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning, who sat out Thursday's 7-2 loss to Vancouver, has accounted for 24 points, 52 shots on goal, 112 blocks and 95 hits in 69 contests this campaign.
