The Toronto Maple Leafs have added some defensive depth, signing Simon Benoit to a one-year contract worth $775K, per a team announcement.
Benoit, 24, heads to Canada’s largest city after spending all five seasons of his pro career in the Anaheim Ducks organization. He skated in a career-high 78 games last season with the Ducks, forced into a top-four role on a paper-thin defense. He did notch three goals and seven assists for ten points while averaging 19:21 per game, but his -29 rating and 41.4 Corsi For percentage at even strength were expectedly unimpressive.
That’s not to say the 6-foot-3, 203-pound left-shot defender can’t be effective at the NHL level. He posted a much better analytical profile and possession metrics in a more limited role in 2021-22, which saw him skate in 53 games with the Ducks but averaging under 15 minutes per game. That being said, Anaheim simply didn’t envision Benoit as a part of their long-term plans as a depth defender considering the wave of higher-ceiling prospects they have on the way. Slated to be a restricted free agent this summer after signing a one-year extension with the Ducks in 2022, he was not extended a qualifying offer and hit the UFA market on July 1.
In 137 career NHL games with the Ducks, Benoit has four goals, 11 assists and 15 points. The Laval, Quebec product joined the Ducks organization on an AHL contract signed with the San Diego Gulls before the 2018-19 campaign after going undrafted by an NHL team. His junior stats were admittedly unimpressive, but he quickly showed in the minors that he could be a capable defensive presence at the pro level, earning an entry-level contract from the Ducks after his rookie season in San Diego.
However, it’s no guarantee Benoit can crack the Leafs’ roster out of training camp, especially given their salary cap crunch. It’s hard to envision him winning a spot in the opening night lineup ahead of their currently projected bottom pair of Mark Giordano and Timothy Liljegren, although his league-minimum cap hit does make him an appealing option for a seventh defenseman – if they can afford it. He would need to clear waivers to be assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, which is not guaranteed after he shouldered heavy NHL minutes last season and is on an affordable one-year deal.
More must-reads: