Former Oiler Trying to Earn NHL Spot with Maple Leafs, Trade Likely?

Veteran defenseman Matt Benning, who spent four seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, is looking to make an NHL comeback. Heading into his 10th NHL season, he’s lost some steam in terms of making a regular impact, something he’s hoping to change.

Benning was on an upward trajectory in Edmonton, before he got knocked down a peg as the team picked up greater depth, he eventually left the Oilers and signed a two-year free agent in Nashville. He was later inked to a four-year contract by the San Jose Sharks (2020), but traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs from the San Jose Sharks in 2022.

Benning has yet to play an NHL game for Toronto.

“I still think I’m an NHL defenseman,” Benning told the media this week. “I didn’t get a chance for a call-up, but their D-core is really good. I don’t blame them. I need a good camp to either impress them or another team before the season starts.”

Still under contract for one more season, this is a big one for Benning. Should he not make the team or get a look in Toronto, it could mean he falls off the radar for other NHL teams.

Should that happen, he’ll need to have a big season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. That means scoring more than a single goal and eight points in 39 games, as he did last season. Key to his success might be a clean bill of health, as injuries have hampered his play over the last couple of years.

Could the Maple Leafs Wind Up Trading Benning?

Competition for a Maple Leafs roster spot will be stiff, with six blueliners from last year’s playoff squad—Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, Christopher Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Brandon Carlo, and Simon Benoit—returning, alongside other veterans and prospects.

Benning’s goal is to make the team or, at the very least, prove he could be a player for another club where the depth on the blue line doesn’t create a barrier to get back. If he can prove he still belongsin the NHL and get on a team that needs depth defensemen, he could carve out a role for the 2025-26 season.

For Oilers fans wondering if there would be a spot on the roster for an old member of the team, it’s not likely. The Oilers are deep on defense as well and if they’re to make an upgrade, it would be for a stay-at-home, physical top-four blueliner.

Next: Oilers Linked to European Forward, But No Deal Emerged