Ronning to replace Benson in CHL Prospects Game

Right wing Ty Ronning of the Vancouver Giants in the Western Hockey League will replace teammate Tyler Benson in the BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, to be played at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVA Sports).

Benson, who was to serve as captain for Team Don Cherry, hasn't played since Dec. 30 after sustaining a lower-body injury. The Giants listed him as week-to-week. At the time of his injury, the left wing had 17 points in 13 games.

Benson, No. 21 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft, missed the first month of the season after having surgery to remove a cyst near his tailbone.

Defenseman Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting will serve as Team Cherry captain in place of Benson.

Ronning, No. 82 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking, is the son of retired NHL player Cliff Ronning. Ty Ronning (5-foot-9, 165 pounds) is first on the Giants with 26 goals and second with 41 points.

"He's smart and skilled with very good hands," said Dan Marr, NHL Director of Central Scouting. "He's among the top scorers in the Western Hockey League and has a good shot with a quick release. He's willing to go to the dirty areas to score goals and has a high compete level."

Cliff Ronning was selected in the seventh round (No. 134) by the St. Louis Blues in the 1984 NHL Draft. He played 17 seasons in the NHL with the Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders. He had 306 goals and 869 points in 1,137 NHL games.

The CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game will feature 20 players among the top 30, or potential first-round candidates, on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft. The draft will be held June 24-25 at First Niagara Center in Buffalo.

Follow Mike Morreale on Twitter at: @mikemorrealeNHL