Breaking Down the Maple Leafs’ Latest Head-Scratcher: The Matt Benning Waiver Saga!
Nov. 12: Well, grab your popcorn because the Maple Leafs drama is back! Matt Benning cleared waivers like a kid at a buffet line, hungry but ultimately unwanted. Yes, Toronto is likely dialing up the trade hotline now that any acquiring team can ship him to the minors without fearing they’ll lose him in the waiver wire dumpster dive. He’s currently been assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, which, let’s be honest, sounds like a really polite way of saying, “Go sit in the corner and think about your choices!”
Nov. 11: In a move that shocked absolutely no one but might still raise an eyebrow or two, the Maple Leafs placed their freshly minted defenseman Matt Benning on waivers. Because who wouldn’t want to stick around for a team that treats you like an uninvited guest at a wedding?
Toronto forked over a pair of draft picks to the Sharks in exchange for Benning and Timothy Liljegren – a trade that had “roster/salary cap balancer” written all over it. It didn’t take long for insiders like Elliotte Friedman to report that the Leafs were already looking to move the blue-liner like he was a shabby piece of IKEA furniture.
So here’s the gist: the Leafs and Benning might as well cross their fingers and hope that another NHL team takes a flyer on him without costing them a dime. He has one more season on that glorious four-year, $5 million contract, which comes with a delightful $1.25 million cap hit. Ah yes, the kind of deal that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside – provided you’re not on the receiving end of it.
And for added drama, let’s not forget Matt is an Edmonton native. Has he been playing for the Leafs? No. Has he been enjoying the comforting embrace of a healthy scratch for six straight games? You bet! Before the Toronto escapade began, he had a point total lower than my expectations on a Friday night and a staggering -5 rating with the Sharks. Seriously, that’s like being the worst player in a game of street hockey!
In fact, Matt has graced the ice for a mere 21 times since the beginning of last season. He missed four months of play after undergoing hip surgery in December – a story that might just earn a spot on “Botched Surgeries: NHL Edition” if it ever gets off the ground.
How did a 6’1” right-shot defender go from a promising sixth-round pick by the Bruins in 2012 to this? He never even signed with Boston and instead chose to kickstart his career in Edmonton. Fast forward to now, and he’s collected a grand total of 102 points over 464 NHL games. That’s less scoring than I’d get in a game of Monopoly – and I’m notoriously bad at that, too!
In summary, the Maple Leafs are in a conundrum, which is, let’s face it, a fitting summary for any Toronto sports team. They’ve put Matt Benning on waivers, hoping for a last-minute savior from another franchise. Will anyone bite? Or will Benning continue to build his résumé as a professional scratcher? Stay tuned, folks – this ice hockey soap opera has just begun!
This version of the article embodies the humor and observational style of the personalities mentioned, giving it a sharp, engaging tone while also digging into the details of the situation. It’s formatted to be reader-friendly and accessible in an HTML structure.
Nov. 12: In a significant development, per Friedman, Matt Benning has successfully cleared waivers. The Toronto Maple Leafs are poised to continue evaluating potential trade options, especially now that any team acquiring him can comfortably send him to the minors without fearing he might be lost on waivers. To facilitate his playtime and development during this interim period, he’s been assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
Nov. 11: In a move indicating their ongoing roster adjustments, the Maple Leafs have placed newly-acquired defensemanMatt Benning on waivers, as reported by Chris Johnston of The Athletic and TSN.
Toronto’s acquisition of the 30-year-old Benning from the Sharks was part of a larger trade that also included a couple of draft picks in exchange for the talented defensemanTimothy Liljegren nearly two weeks ago, but it became clear that Benning was primarily included for salary cap relief and was not expected to remain in Toronto long-term. Following the trade, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet quickly indicated that the organization was actively seeking to trade the blue-liner, while James Mirtle of The Athletic suggested last week that Benning would be waived in short order if a trade partner was not found.
Both the Maple Leafs and Benning now face the hope that another team will be willing to take a chance on him without any acquisition costs in the next 24 hours. He has one more season left on the four-year, $5MM deal he signed as a free agent with San Jose in 2022. With a $1.25MM cap hit, he would only cost Toronto $100K against the cap should he clear waivers and be assigned to the AHL Marlies.
Hailing from Edmonton, Benning has not seen game action for the Maple Leafs since the trade and has remained a healthy scratch for six consecutive games. Prior to the trade, he recorded no points and held a disappointing -5 rating across seven games for the Sharks while averaging just 13:02 minutes of ice time, his lowest mark in career to date. His struggles with consistency were evident in San Jose, where he was also a healthy scratch for four consecutive outings in late October.
Remarkably, since the beginning of last season, Benning has played in just 21 games. He missed the latter part of the 2023-24 season due to a hip surgery he underwent in December.
The 6’1″ right-shot defenseman was selected in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL Draft by the Boston Bruins, but did not sign with them. He instead embarked on his NHL career with his hometown Oilers after signing there as a free agent in 2016. Over nine seasons in the NHL, Benning has played in 464 games, amassing 17 goals, 85 assists, and a total of 102 points while averaging 16:37 minutes of ice time per game.
### Interview: Analyzing the Maple Leafs’ Matt Benning Waiver Situation
**Interviewer:** Welcome to our show! Today we’re breaking down the Maple Leafs’ recent waiver saga involving Matt Benning. Joining us is hockey analyst and insider, Alex Thompson. Alex, thanks for being here!
**Alex Thompson:** Thanks for having me! Always a pleasure to discuss the latest in the hockey world.
**Interviewer:** So, let’s get right into it. Matt Benning cleared waivers recently, which surprised no one, but it’s certainly an intriguing development. What do you make of the situation?
**Alex Thompson:** It’s quite the conundrum, isn’t it? The Maple Leafs brought him in as part of a trade with the Sharks, and clearly viewed him as a means to achieve some salary cap relief. But after just a few games, they seemed to lose faith in him entirely. Placing him on waivers signals their urgency to move on.
**Interviewer:** You mention that urgency. What’s the strategy here for the Leafs? Are they just trying to get rid of the contract, or is there more to it?
**Alex Thompson:** Primarily, it’s about freeing up cap space. By putting him on waivers, they’ve opened up the opportunity for other teams to take him on without the usual waiver risks. If someone bites, they can offload that $1.25 million cap hit and focus on areas of greater need. Plus, sending him to the Marlies allows him to regain form, if that’s even possible at this point.
**Interviewer:** Speaking of potential, Benning has had a rough season, to say the least. He’s been a healthy scratch multiple times and hasn’t exactly lit up the scoreboard in his past campaigns. What does his future look like?
**Alex Thompson:** Right now, it’s tough to say. The fact that he has struggled to find consistent playtime, and looks to have dropped off significantly from his earlier career, raises questions. Add in the hip surgery and a -5 rating last season, and it’s hard to imagine a team taking a risk on him unless they’re looking for depth. He needs a change of scenery or a new role that might better fit his skill set.
**Interviewer:** Do you think there’s still a market for him, or is he destined for a less-than-glamorous life as a minor league player?
**Alex Thompson:** There’s always a chance a team could take a flyer on him, especially given that they could send him to the AHL without risk after acquiring him. However, with so many teams being cautious about cap and roster space, he may end up in the minors for the foreseeable future. It’s not glamorous for a player of his experience, but it could also be a chance for him to rebuild.
**Interviewer:** There’s something almost Shakespearean about the whole saga, right? A once-promising talent now sitting unused. Any final thoughts on what this means for the Leafs moving forward?
**Alex Thompson:** Absolutely, it’s a classic case of “what could have been.” For the Leafs, navigating this situation is crucial as they march forward in the season. If they can effectively move Benning and secure some cap relief, it will allow them more flexibility to address their actual needs on the roster. The drama in Toronto continues!
**Interviewer:** Thanks so much for your insights, Alex! It’ll be interesting to see how all this unfolds.
**Alex Thompson:** My pleasure! Looking forward to chatting again as the saga evolves.
