Not on an NHL roster · Defense · Shoots R

Mike Benning

Age 24 · 5'9" · 185 lb · Born in Edmonton, CAN

Cap hit

$850K

0.8% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

—

needs 40 recent games

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2025-26 regular season

Goals

13.3% shooting

Assists

2 primary

Points

0.33 per game

TOI/GP

16:54

PP 0:50 · PK 0:16

Plus/minus

-4

Hits

Blocks 16

PIM

Game Score

+0.28

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	G	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Apr 15 vs DET · W 8-1	2	2	0	3	21:34	0:00	1:01	—	50	1	0	+2	+2.59
Apr 13 vs NYR · W 3-2	0	1	0	0	20:00	0:57	2:05	—	33	0	0	0	-0.01
Apr 11 @ TOR · W 6-2	0	1	0	0	21:38	1:06	0:00	—	33	0	1	+2	+0.32
Apr 9 @ OTT · L 5-1	0	0	0	0	17:22	2:00	0:16	—	80	1	0	-2	-0.22
Apr 7 @ MTL · OTL 4-3	0	2	1	0	15:29	0:56	0:00	—	60	2	0	+1	+0.18

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 273 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%47.5%

35th percentile

Relative xGF%+1.4

67th percentile

HDCF%37.5%

5th percentile

CF%50.8%

67th percentile

Relative CF%+1.0

69th percentile

FF%49.6%

55th percentile

GF%46.4%

35th percentile

CF/6059.6

73rd percentile

CA/6057.7

51st percentile

ixG/600.31

78th percentile

Goals above expected+0.6

62nd percentile

IPP38.5%

67th percentile

PDO100.5

58th percentile

OZS%47.0%

49th percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleForechecking defenseman

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Benning is a relentless, physical presence in the offensive zone who wins the puck high and creates chances through direct forechecking rather than skilled playmaking. He struggles to generate his own offense and move the puck cleanly, making him most effective in a structured, grinding role.

Aggressive forecheckingLimited puck skillsPhysical defender

Shooting volume: 51
Playmaking: 62
Zone entries(est.): 36
Forechecking: 79
Physicality: 5
Defensive impact: 46
Puck management: 33
Speed: 54

Where he shoots from

Slot 14% · Mid-range 32% · Perimeter 54%(28 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Forechecking ranks 79th percentile, driving offense through pressure
Playmaking at 62nd percentile adds offensive value beyond his forecheck
Respectable 51st percentile shooting volume on straight attempts

Watch-outs

Physicality at just 5th percentile, rarely uses body to punish opponents
Puck management at 33rd percentile limits clean exits and transitions
Rush chances only at 36th percentile, struggles to create attacking entry chances

Similar style: Ivan Provorov (CBJ), Vladislav Gavrikov (NYR)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

NHL regular season NHL playoffs All leagues

Season	League	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2011-12	Brick Invitational	Team Brick Alberta	6	0	1	1	—	0
2014-15	QC Int PW	St. Albert Sabres PW	5	0	6	6	—	4
2015-16	AMBHL	St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA	34	6	12	18	—	22
2015-16 (playoffs)	AMBHL	St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA	2	0	1	1	—	2
2016-17	AMBHL	St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA	36	10	33	43	—	42
2016-17	AEHL U16	St. Albert Flyers U16 AAA	1	0	1	1	—	0
2016-17 (playoffs)	AMBHL	St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA	10	2	4	6	—	8
2017-18	CSSHL U16	Northern Alberta Xtreme U16 Prep	29	14	35	49	—	34
2017-18	CSSHL U18	Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 Prep	1	0	0	0	—	0
2017-18 (playoffs)	CSSHL U16	Northern Alberta Xtreme U16 Prep	4	1	2	3	—	17
2018-19	AJHL	Sherwood Park Crusaders	60	10	51	61	—	99
2018-19 (playoffs)	AJHL	Sherwood Park Crusaders	12	1	8	9	—	14
2019-20	AJHL	Sherwood Park Crusaders	54	12	63	75	—	54
2019-20	JCWC	AJHL Selects	5	1	3	4	+2	6
2019-20	WJAC-19	Canada West U19	4	0	1	1	—	0
2020-21	NCAA	Univ. of Denver	21	3	8	11	-1	8
2021-22	NCAA	Univ. of Denver	41	15	23	38	+32	14
2022-23	NCAA	Univ. of Denver	39	13	21	34	+24	38
2023-24	AHL	Charlotte Checkers	72	9	17	26	+7	50
2023-24 (playoffs)	AHL	Charlotte Checkers	3	0	1	1	-2	2
2024-25	AHL	Charlotte Checkers	54	9	23	32	-1	34
2024-25 (playoffs)	AHL	Charlotte Checkers	18	5	4	9	+6	12
2025-26	NHL	Florida Panthers	18	2	4	6	-4	2
2025-26	AHL	Charlotte Checkers	57	8	23	31	+9	40
2025-26 (playoffs)	AHL	Charlotte Checkers	3	0	2	2	+3	2
2026-27	AHL	Calgary Wranglers	1	1	0	1	+2	0

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

No news about him in the last 30 days.

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

+0.7

+0.7NYR3/29

-0.1OTT3/31

+0.1

+0.1BOS4/2

-0.4PIT4/4

+0.2

+0.2PIT4/5

+0.2

+0.2MTL4/7

-0.2OTT4/9

+0.3

+0.3TOR4/11

-0.0NYR4/13

+2.6

+2.6DET4/15

Average +0.33 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.28 per game

2025-26 · 18 GP

Season total +5.0, or +0.28 per game.

Scoring: +4.4
Shooting: +1.1
5-on-5 goals: -0.3
Defense: -0.3
Physical play: +0.9
Puck battles: -0.7
Penalties: -0.2

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2025-26, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 21.6 mph; 46th pct
20+ mph bursts: 11
Hardest shot: 90.4 mph; 50th pct
Distance: 44.6 mi
OZ time: 43.2%; 72nd pct
DZ time: 38.5%

Age curve

At 24: 100% of peak

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 24, defensemen typically produce 100% of their peak (age 24).

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

1 season left

Season	Team	Cap hit	% of cap
2026-27	CGY	$850K	0.8%

UFA after 2026-27. $850K in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).