Leafs defenseman leaves game a bloody mess after 3rd period altercation with 6-foot-4 Kings blueliner
When Simon Benoit did not receive a qualifying offer from the Anaheim Ducks this past summer, it meant that at just 24, he was able to test free agency, signing a 1-year, league minimum deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now 25 years old, Benoit seems to have found a home in Toronto and the fans are beginning to warm up to the idea of keeping him around beyond this season.
Benoit not only plays a strong defensive game, but he brings the physicality and intangibles that the Leafs lost this summer when Luke Schenn signed in Nashville - and he's a much younger defenseman, which is an added bonus.
You don't have to search too hard to find many examples of just what a team player and a nasty customer Benoit is. Take last night's game in Los Angeles, for example. After Auston Matthews was hit hard by Pierre-Luc Dubois in the 2nd period, Benoit wasted no time in getting involved in a post-whistle scrum, taking not one body off the pile, but two. In this case, it was Drew Doughty and Alex Laferriere.
That wasn't the only example of Benoit going to bat for his team last night. After landing a huge hit on Blake Lizzotte, Benoit also opted to help feed his team some additional energy by taking on 6-foot-4 Andreas Englund in a 3rd period scrap.
Unfortunately for Benoit, he appeared to bust up his hand pretty good on the last shot he landed in the fight. As you can see in the video above, after landing a glancing shot on Englund, Benoit is clearly dealing with an issue with his hand and attempts to skate away, however, Englund maintains his grip on Benoit's jersey and lands an extra shot or two for good measure.
Benoit popped right back up and made his way to the penalty box where he was able to survey the damage to his hand, which was a bloody mess after the altercation. Not long after, Benoit would leave the penalty box and head down the Leafs' tunnel for some medical attention.
At this point, it's unclear if Benoit will be available for tonight's game, but if he is, I suspect that we won't see any fisticuffs from him while his hand continues to heal. My best guess is a couple of stitches and a lot of tape if he does opt to play.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 3 | 837 ANSWERS Leafs defenseman leaves game a bloody mess after 3rd period altercation with 6-foot-4 Kings blueliner Should the Leafs re-sign Simon Benoit this summer? | ||
| Yes | 667 | 79.7 % |
| No | 64 | 7.6 % |
| This summer? Just extend him now! | 106 | 12.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
