The San Jose Sharks announced on Thursday that defenseman Matt Benning underwent successful hip surgery and is expected to miss the rest of the 2023-24 season.
The team also said that the estimated time of recovery for this kind of injury is approximately five months.
“Benning is anticipated to be ready for the start of the 2024-25 Sharks Training Camp,” said the Sharks in a press release.
Through 14 games this season, Benning has two assists. In 457 career games, he’s scored 17 goals, 85 assists and 102 points with the Sharks, the Nashville Predators and the Edmonton Oilers.
Drafted in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, Benning spent one season with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints, scoring 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 57 games. He would go on to play three years at Northeastern University in the NCAA.
Having not signed with the Bruins, Benning inked a two-year contract with the Oilers in August 2016. After a brief stint with the Predators, Benning signed a four-year, $5 million contract with the Sharks. During his first season with the Sharks, Benning scored a career-high 24 points, recording one goal and 23 assists.
The Sharks are 9-26-3 with 21 points in 38 games, last in the entire league. They have lost nine straight games and have a league-worst goal differential of minus-80.
Their next game is Thursday at home against the Winnipeg Jets, then they have a home-and-home with the Toronto Maple Leafs, hosting the Maple Leafs on Saturday then flying to for a slew of games against Canadian opponents. Starting next Tuesday, they face the Maple Leafs then take on the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators.
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