The busy summer for new Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager, Brad Treliving continues.
The hockey club announced Monday morning that they have signed defenseman Simon Benoit to a one-year, $775K contract for the upcoming 2023-24 NHL season.
Benoit, 24, is a 6’3, 203-pound left-shot defenseman who has spent the first five years of his pro career in the Anaheim Ducks organization, split between the AHL with the San Diego Gulls and, of course, the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.
The Laval native was originally a free agent signing for the Gulls in early 2019 after spending three years playing in the QMJHL for the Shawinigan Cataractes and has since worked his way from the AHL to the NHL.
He has 137 career NHL games under his belt over the past three seasons, scoring four goals and adding 11 assists for 15 points.
This signing, especially in late August, is just some depth on defence and another player to try and compete for a roster spot in training camp.
Whether he makes the opening night roster (I highly doubt) or gets sent down to the Toronto Marlies (if he doesn’t get claimed off waivers) you can rarely ever complain about depth, especially on the blue line where it seems like Toronto thinned out on within the past year.
The Maple Leafs made some other depth/Marlie signings earlier in free agency when they signed two left-shot defensemen, William Lagesson and Maxime Lajoie to one-year deals.
With training camp and preseason right around the corner and the start of the 2023-24 regular season not that far behind, it’ll be interesting to see if Treliving and company make any more depth signings or even PTO signings as they get ready for the new season.
Benoit joins a long list of additions to the Maple Leafs this off-season that Treliving has made in his first official off-season as Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager.
(All stats from Hockeydb.com)
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