Simon Benoit did not participate in the first day of Maple Leafs training camp but there was a good reason behind it.
View the original article to see embedded media.
He and his partner were welcoming their first child, Leafs PR posted on X as Toronto’s first group of players filed onto the ice for the opening session of training camp.
Leafs D Simon Benoit will be absent from practice today as he and his partner welcomed their first child.
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) September 19, 2024
Benoit is entering his second year with the Maple Leafs after playing 64 NHL games with Toronto last season. The 26-year-old scored one goal and four assists while averaging 17:14 of ice time for the year.
The defenseman signed a one-year, $775,000 deal last summer and impressed so much that he received a three-year, $4.05 million contract on Mar. 29. His deal carries an annual average value of $1.35 million.
Related: Why the Maple Leafs Signed Simon Benoit to Three-Year, $4.05 Million Extension
Benoit has played 201 NHL games throughout his career, split between Toronto and the Anaheim Ducks, scoring five goals and 15 assists. He became a fan-favorite last season with his strong play and admiration for milk.
Related
‘Our Goal Will Always Be To Win The Stanley Cup, And Anything Short Of That Is A Failure’: Morgan Rielly Emphasizes Maple Leafs’ Championship-or-Bust Mentality
‘Those Are Things That We’ll Handle Behind Closed Doors’: Have Contract Negotiations Between the Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner Already Begun?
‘We’re A Better Team With Them On Our Team This Year’: Why President Brendan Shanahan Stuck with the Maple Leafs’ Core and General Manager Brad Treliving Believes This Season Will be Different
News from THN.com
Screen Shots: Bruins GM Speaks Out, Oilers Give Hoffman PTO And Joshua’s Health Scare
NHL Free Agency: Grading 10 Teams for Their Off-Season Actions – or Lack Thereof
Chicago Blackhawks Continue to Build Up with Bertuzzi, Teravainen and More NHL UFA Signings