TORONTO | Undrafted Simon Benoit carved his own path to the NHL, earning a job with the Anaheim Ducks over the last two seasons. At 25 years old, he now has to take a different path to stay in the best league in the world.
For Benoit, this new route goes through Toronto. On August 28, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound defenseman signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Maple Leafs.
Despite being on a one-way contract, he has not received commitments from either Brad Treliving or Sheldon Keefe to be among the team’s top seven or eight defensemen.
Benoit emerged from a morning practice a few hours before the game against the Canadian and spoke about that reality in an interview with the Journal in a hallway at Scotiabank Arena.
“You’re still fighting for your position. This is the NHL, he reminded himself. You fight all your life to reach this league, and once you play in this league, you fight again to stay there. If you don’t fight, you lose your place. For me it doesn’t change anything. I just focus on my own things. »
“The future will show. But I’m focused on Toronto. I’m happy to be with the Maple Leafs. They have good coaches and good management. I’m thinking about the future, not the Ducks’ past. »
Above for body checks
In Anaheim, Benoit probably thought he had earned his place in the sun. And not just in the geographical sense with California. Last year, the Laval player took part in 78 games with the Ducks, scoring 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists).
It also had an impact other than on the scoresheet. He led the Ducks in hits (216) and blocked shots (128). However, he finished with a -29 record while playing for the worst team in the league.
Photo Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/AFP
“Deep down I know the NHL is my caliber,” he said. I spent all of last season with the Ducks. I’ve proven that I belong, but I have to fight to earn my position here in Toronto. »
On paper, there isn’t all that much room on the Leafs’ blue line. Morgan Rielly, TJ Brodie, John Klingberg, Jake McCabe, Timothy Liljegren and Mark Giordano already have their place in this locker room. So there are still one or two places available.
Like Benoit, Conor Timmins also has a one-piece pact, albeit for $1.1 million for two years. However, Timmins will be out for the next few weeks due to a lower body injury.
Back pain
Sheldon Keefe had a few words to say about Benoit on Monday morning.
“He is a good addition to our team,” said the head coach. As a defender he has a different profile. He is bigger and more physical. But it wasn’t ideal for him as he missed a large portion of the camp. He has started playing again and needs to get back into his rhythm. He has now played one game, he will play a second game. »
Benoit missed the first few days of camp due to back spasms.
“It set me back,” he admitted. If you miss training, you lose rhythm. In a camp, the intensity increases quickly. I want to get back to my good habits. »
For his second preseason game with the Leafs, Benoit will form a duo with young 22-year-old Finn Mikko Kokkonen, which Keefe describes as a pleasant surprise in this camp.
The dream of the series
If Benoit didn’t have the heart to talk about the past and the reasons that led Pat Verbeek not to offer him a new contract, he still had stars in his eyes that explained his decision to continue his career with the Leafs .
“The Maple Leafs are a mature team and they are hungry. They want to go far, they want to win the cup. I want to get my first playoff games. I want to be successful in a role as a defender who protects his territory well. I like blocking shots and playing hard. I play big, difficult minutes. I would compete against the 3 or 4. I let the attackers in front of my net pay the price. I see that opportunity with the Maple Leafs. »