Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign D Simon Benoit (1 year, $775k) Re-signed ( 3 year, $1.35mm)

[crump]

You need to have some bottom pair grit to play on the PK. I see this as Giordano insurance. No telling how he is going to be at the end of the year. He seems ageless but you never know when the decline starts. I hope Liljegren cements his place this year. He’s the only other D than has potential to show a little physicality. Built like a brick house.

Benoit probably starts on the Marlies unless there are injuries after camp.

 

[banks]

Lord knows we needed the depth last year.

True story! Luke Schenn went from a deadline depth add to a primary piece in the playoffs. The blueline needed the depth almost right away. And it's not like anyone can expect Giordano to be healthy all this coming season.

I don't expect Benoit to play most games. He'll be scratched and maybe waived at some point. But it's great to know that the depth has real-life NHL experience. If he is needed, he can handle NHL shifts. I like it.

Benoit is the defenceman version of the Martin Jones signing. He isn't even plan B. But if the situation is dire enough to need him, they'll be happy he's there.

 

[crump]

Big D is the only way. It's nice if they are mobile and skilled, but if they lack size you just get pounded back there.

There are always some exceptions, but I like that we are scaling up the back end a bit. I am sure this is just the beginning of improving and spicing up the blue line

Even Holl, who was big, didn’t know how to take a hit and stay on his feet. I mean God love him for putting his body on the line, but it’d be nice to have a menacing presence back there like a young Schenn who can hit or be hit and not be out of the play

 

[Ianturnedbull]

The C and LW depth still does not look very good. If you put Domi at Center, the LW depth suffers greatly. If you put him at LW the Center depth remains awful. You have Domi and Tavares injured at the same time...look out.

Doesn't 2 players going down like that hurt any team? If the Leafs lose 2 C's they will put Kampf on the 3 C, and Holmberg 4 C. That leaves Nylander at 2 C (not ideal), or they will pick up some serviceable AHL center for a low draft pick, a Marlie, or Gambrell.

I don't love it, but it's not death.

 

[Dayjobdave]

Even Holl, who was big, didn’t know how to take a hit and stay on his feet. I mean God love him for putting his body on the line, but it’d be nice to have a menacing presence back there like a young Schenn who can hit or be hit and not be out of the play

It's been so long that I even miss Dion....

 

[cyris]

Big D is the only way. It's nice if they are mobile and skilled, but if they lack size you just get pounded back there.

There are always some exceptions, but I like that we are scaling up the back end a bit. I am sure this is just the beginning of improving and spicing up the blue line

Uhhhh ……

 

[notbias]

I'm expecting Treliving to start molding the Dcore in his image of Big, Mean and mobile and this signing fits those characteristics.

Hits, fights and blocks shots and comes with a big frame and wing span .. What is not to like here?

Does the Klingberg signing hint at this?

He is the only signing that will play.

Our D is smaller than last year, but more mobile and offensive, which is better and what we need, thankfully he is doing the opposite of what you want here.

 

[Notsince67]

Well I think he is shit.
Low bar to impress me.

 

[Fonzieleaf]

Good blueline depth.

I like it.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS
For far too long we have lacked dirty French Canadians on this roster...keep em coming.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

You will never see me be against adding a player to the Marlies that we know can play a regular shift in the NHL.

In fact that's what the Marlies SHOULD be, get as much NHL caliber depth on that roster as possible.

Thing is if we know he can play a regular NHL shift then you can bet your ass he knows it too.

Yet he went from being an NHL regular to being at absolute best the #8 D man on the Leafs.

It's a good signing because it gives them another legitimate call up option but from Benoit perspective it makes no sense.

 

[HockeyVirus]

The C and LW depth still does not look very good. If you put Domi at Center, the LW depth suffers greatly. If you put him at LW the Center depth remains awful. You have Domi and Tavares injured at the same time...look out.

Then we have Nylander we can use there and lots of 4C's with the Marlies. Robertson if healthy is also an option

 

[HockeyVirus]

It's been so long that I even miss Dion....

 

[therealkoho]

""

I'm thinking Tree has something in mind considering all those Dmen, a reluctant star forward and Leafs need to add some futures and another young NHL starter dman.

Almost there, almost! Hopefully Gio gets to coach those kids that still lack some experience, it would be great to see Liljegren, Timmins and now Benoit really bloom this season

 

[Stephen]

True story! Luke Schenn went from a deadline depth add to a primary piece in the playoffs. The blueline needed the depth almost right away. And it's not like anyone can expect Giordano to be healthy all this coming season.

I don't expect Benoit to play most games. He'll be scratched and maybe waived at some point. But it's great to know that the depth has real-life NHL experience. If he is needed, he can handle NHL shifts. I like it.

Benoit is the defenceman version of the Martin Jones signing. He isn't even plan B. But if the situation is dire enough to need him, they'll be happy he's there.

Maybe I’m expecting too much right away but I think he’s going to be an Ilya Lyubushkin type who just slots in and plays a defined role and everyone will be pleasantly surprised how functional he is.

Even before we got Lyubushkin I was saying a lot of Western Conference teams identify these kind of guys and you just have to look at the bottom of their rosters to find them. Guys like Hakanpaa, Zadorov, Oleksiak, Desharnais, etc. Dallas and Anaheim seem to churn out a lot of these fridges.

 

[Fogelhund]

I'm thinking Tree has something in mind considering all those Dmen, a reluctant star forward and Leafs need to add some futures and another young NHL starter dman.

Almost there, almost! Hopefully Gio gets to coach those kids that still lack some experience, it would be great to see Liljegren, Timmins and now Benoit really bloom this season

There really isn't anymore D men, than we had last year, or that most teams start a season with. I'm not really seeing anything screaming, a big trade is coming, though it could happen.

 

[LeafSteel]

Uhhhh ……

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Went to the mainboards to see what others think of this signing. Most Ducks fans seem to have wanted him back which is nice.

One particular Oilers fan making posts about how this signing makes no sense for the Leafs because their D sucks reminded me of why I don't go here very often.

I see your point. I think that there's something to be said about the jeers though. I mean he's paid $775,000. He can't be that good. And he's not as bad as the jealous Oilers fan said. It just can't be:

1. He's a leaf now so he's good
2. He's a leaf now so he's bad

I want every Treliving signing to overachieve for Toronto. Likely he'll be just a dept guy though.

 

[Frostitute]

It's been so long that I even miss Dion....

The problem wasn't Phaneuf, it was the team around him IMO. LOVES me some Dion. Also, I grew up in Red Deer and used to practice with the Rebels. So uhh, no favoritism.

 

[meefer]

FWIW a reasonable take on Benoit. Analysis: Maple Leafs add a blue line depth option with some size & jam in Simon Benoit

 

[Mess]

Look at the size of the additions of Treliving to the Leafs defense core.

 

[notbias]

Look at the size of the additions of Treliving to the Leafs defense core.

View attachment 739495

The AHLer defender is smaller than Gio and the NHLer is smaller than Brodie... this team is getting tiny, you love it, right?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Look at the size of the additions of Treliving to the Leafs defense core.

View attachment 739495

Wow, that's almost as good as Benn (6'2, 201) and Dahlstrom (6'4, 230). Why do people act like Dubas never went after bigger players? He did, and they were rarely good

 

[supermann_98]

Watched those fight/hit clips. Benoit was numbers 86 and 13. So I 99% like this move. I still miss Chris Benoit.

... Ummm, didn't he murder his wife and kid

 

[Frostitute]

... Ummm, didn't he murder his wife and kid

Not to sound like a complete piece of shit but...the guy got hit in the head for a living and his finishing move was a headbutt off the top ropes was it not?

Also, my mother went to school with Christopher Bennett (Not surenif thats how it was spelt officially but that is how they pronounced it) and she always said he was the sweetest kid. So uhhh, no favoritism.