The Toronto Maple Leafs are 1-0-0 after a barn-burner of a season opener against Montreal on Monday. Tonight, the Buds welcome the Minnesota Wild to town, but if today's roster call-up from the Marlies is any indication, the welcome will be anything but a warm one.
Benoit was signed to a 1-year league minimum deal by the Leafs late in the offseason after the Anaheim Ducks opted to not tender him a qualifying offer, making the 25-year-old a free agent. What Benoit lacks in offensive prowess, he more than makes up for with his mean streak.
Benoit is the type of player who isn't afraid to drop the mitts, which could benefit the team with players like Marcus Foligno and, Pat Maroon and Ryan Hartman in town tonight. It's also worth noting that Benoit posted 216 hits for the Ducks last season.
The Leafs have yet to confirm whether or not he'll actually play in this one, but I have a hard time believing that they'd call him up before this game just to have him sit in the press box. Time will tell, I suppose.
