After a good training camp, San Jose Sharks defenseman Matt Benning has struggled this season and was a healthy scratch against the Colorado Avalanche.
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With Macklin Celebrini on injured reserve, the Sharks recalled defenseman Jack Thompson from the AHL. San Jose started the season with 15 forwards on its roster, which is unusual because that left the NHL squad with six defensemen.
Now, with an extra defenseman, head coach Ryan Warsofsky can change the blue line, and his first was Benning.
“You don’t want to be scratched. As a player, it’s never a good thing, but as you go forward, you better perform and do what you can do best,” Benning told THN. “[I] thought I was getting better game to game. So I was happy with that after being out for a while. It’s their decision. They did a good job talking to me, which I appreciate as a player.”
Based on SJHN Sheng Peng’s lineup projection, Benning could be a healthy scratch for the second straight game against the Anaheim Ducks tonight.
Greetings from Anaheim!
Will Smith will play, Jack Thompson stays in, there is one line-up change, someone’s getting promoted & Blackwood starts!
See my projected #TheFutureIsTeal lines, after chatting with Warsofsky at morning skate:https://t.co/QdeQ7iBZ1j
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 22, 2024
Benning said Warsofsky’s message was a need to switch things up. He understood the move from the coach’s perspective and where he’s been as an NHL player.
“When you’re not getting the results in the game, you got to switch some things up. That’s how it goes. I was in that position for most of my career, being a 5-6 defenseman. So if there is a change, it could be you,” Benning said.
As far as what he needs to work on to get back in the lineup:
“Clean up on breakouts a little bit. Have better reads on the on the rush,” Benning explained. “Those are things that I kind of knew. [I’m just] trying to get back to where it’s comfortable again.”
Benning was limited to a career-low 14 games last season due to a lower-body injury. He hasn’t had a point through five games this season and is -5. He scored one goal during the Sharks’ preseason.
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