Ams Aquire Benning

Tri-City Americans Governor/General Manager Bob Tory announced today that the team has acquired 17-year-old defenseman Matt Benning from the Kootenay Ice in exchange for a conditional 3rd and 6th round picks in the 2012 Bantam Draft.

Benning, listed at 6’0 and 205 pounds, spent his 16-year-old season as a member of the Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, playing in 43 games and totaling seven assists and 65 penalty minutes. The St. Albert, Alberta-native also appeared in 13 post-season games, including all seven of the Saints’ Doyle Cup match-up with the eventual champion Vernon Vipers in the AJHL Finals. Benning, who was originally the Ice’s 2nd round (35th overall) pick in the 2009 Draft, played for the St. Albert Sports Raiders of the Alberta Midget Hockey League in 2009-10, appearing in 33 games and totaling seven goals and 21 points. He also attended Alberta’s U16 Provincial Camp that season.

Matt is the son of former NHL defenseman, Brian Benning, who played parts of 10 NHL seasons as a member of the St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers and Florida Panthers. For his career, the elder Benning appeared in 568 NHL games while amassing 63 goals and 296 points. Brian also played in two WHL seasons, spending the 1983-84 campaign with the Portland Winter Hawks before moving to the Kamloops Blazers the following season.

“Matt is an intelligent defenseman who brings a wealth of potential,” explained Tory. “This deal gives us tremendous young depth on our blueline and sets us up for the future. I hope to be able to sit down with Matt and Brian and complete the recruiting process so we can see Matt in our training camp in a few weeks.” (Americans)

From Jeff Bromley:

“While we are disappointed Matt did not commit to our program. We felt it was best for both the player and the organization to have a fresh start,” added Chynoweth.
Matt Benning was drafted in the second round (35th overall) of the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft. He played last season with the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL (43-0-7-7-65).

After Benning did not show for training camp last season it appears that the organization and the player chose to go their separate ways. Benning, a 6', 205lb rearguard who played with the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL last season notching 7 assists in 43 games.

Falling behind other 17-year-old D-men on the club's prospect list, Mike Simpson and Jeff Hubic, both who have a shot at cracking the roster this season, Benning - the son of former NHL'er Brian Benning - was thought to be exploring the college route by not reporting to camp. AM's GM Bob Tory, who's been on a trading tear of late to reshape his roster, will attempt to entice the Edmonton product to the desert this season. The deal is based on a conditional 3rd and 6th round pick, with the 3rd rounder likely being the 'conditional' one if Benning reports to the Americans. (Ice Chips)