Q&A: Benning talks debut, first NHL road trip & more!

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A lifetime of work culminated with one game for Mike Benning.

Making his long-awaited NHL debut, the 24-year-old defenseman helped lift the Florida Panthers to a 2-1 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday.

Ending his debut with an exclamation point, Benning, a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, tallied the secondary assist on Sam Reinahrt’s game-winning goal in the extra frame.

“That’s what he does for a living,” head coach Paul Maurice said of Benning’s assist. “It was evident early. He moved the puck really quickly -- on the tape, first-option plays. He wasn’t trying to oversell what he does. I thought his decision making with the puck was really good. I think we probably thought that it could be, but his defensively play was good, too.”

Prior to being recalled from the AHL, Benning, who’s in the midst of his third professional season, ranked first among Charlotte’s defensemen with 31 points (8G, 23A) in 56 games.

In addition to his key assist against Columbus, he also recorded a block and a hit over 16:49 of ice time in his debut.

“He looked great all night,” teammate Sam Bennett said. “He looked like he belonged.”

With one game in the books and hopefully many more to come, I had a chance to catch up with Benning before the Panthers hit the road for their four-game road trip on Saturday.

OLIVE: Now that it’s had time to sink in, how would you sum up your debut?

BENNING: It was good. It was fun. We got the win, which is always good. I thought I kept it simple, for the most part. There’s still improvements [that can be made]. It’s the first try at it, so I’ll try to build off of it.

OLIVE: What were the emotions like throughout the day?

BENNING: The nerves are going. As a kid, you dream of it. It’s surreal. You just soak it in.

OLIVE: What was going through your head during your rookie lap?

BENNING: Hit the net and don’t fall [smiles]. That’s pretty much it. I couldn’t help but smile. I just enjoyed the moment.

OLIVE: Players always talk about the speed of the game being the biggest adjustment when they jump from the AHL to the NHL. How much did you notice that?

BENNING: It’s different. Everyone is skating. Everyone is moving. Also, everyone is in good spots. It’s very detailed. These guys, they helped me out. It’s easy to find them. It’s my job to give them the puck. It was a good stepping stone.

OLIVE: Speaking of help, how much did you lean on your fellow Panthers defensemen?

BENNING: They were probably annoyed with me because I was asking a lot of questions [smiles]. Yeah, they’re all really kind. Obviously, they want me to do well out there and help the team. They’re very helpful with the questions I asked. Even if I didn’t ask a question, they’d tell me what was going on. They were helpful in all aspects.

OLIVE: It’s not every day that a player gets to show what they can do in overtime during their NHL debut. What was it like when you heard you’d be hopping over the boards in such a crucial moment? 

BENNING: I wasn’t expecting it, that’s for sure! The nerves started to show again. I just saw Chucky (Matthew Tkachuk) and (Sam) Reinhart and wanted to give them the puck. They did their thing with it. It was good to be a part of it. Hopefully, I can be a part of much more.

OLIVE: As many fans know, your father, Brian, was a member of the Panthers’ inaugural team during the 1993-94 season. What was it like having him in the stands and then connecting with him after the game?

BENNING: It was great. I hadn’t seen him in a long time. I was glad they made it. They missed the first period because the flight [from Edmonton] got in a little later than expected. But they made it. I was happy that they could watch as much as they can. We had a good meal after and caught up. It was great.

OLIVE: Your older brother, Matt, has also played more than 400 games in the NHL. Did he give you any advice prior to your debut?  

BENNING: Yeah, I talked to him. Him and my dad are two of my big mentors growing up. He just said, ‘Enjoy it. Trust yourself, trust your instincts, and good things will happen.’ They’ve been through it. It was a great a help.

OLIVE: You must have been around 14-15 years old when your brother made his NHL debut. What do you remember about it?

BENNING: I remember watching it [on TV]. It was a good moment. I was happy for him. I’ve always looked up to him. I’m happy that I was able to get my NHL career started, too.

OLIVE: We’ve seen multiple players come up from the AHL this season and look very comfortable in their NHL debuts. What do the Charlotte Checkers do so well to prepare you guys?

BENNING: I think the coaching staff and the leaders down there demand a lot out of you. Every day is a chance to get better. Geordie (Checkers head coach Geordie Kinnear) and his staff, they get everyone ready to make the next step. Not to just play in the NHL, but to be successful in the NHL. The other players and the leaders, they’re all great in that aspect and push us. Everyone holds each other accountable. We’ve got a good thing down there.

OLIVE: After a whirlwind of a debut, how nice was it to have a day off on Friday to kind of catch your breath, reflect and spend more time with your family?

BENNING: Yeah, they stuck around. It was a pretty chill day. We had lunch, played some cards, ate dinner, played more cards. Didn’t do a whole lot, but there was a lot of catching up to do. It was good to have that time. It was also good to a little relax after that high.

OLIVE: I know you know a lot of the guys in the locker room already, but how nice will it be to get to know them all a little better on this upcoming four-game road trip?

BENNING: It’s good. Hopefully I can connect with some other guys and get familiar. Everyone here is awesome. It’s a long roadie. Yeah, I’m excited for it. I’ve got the butterflies going. Hopefully we can continue to play good and get in the win column.

OLIVE: Obviously, you spent a lifetime waiting for that first game in the NHL. Now that you’ve had it, what's the anticipation like for your second game?

BENNING: Learn from it, grow from it, and be better from it. Hopefully I can keep it rolling and just playing good hockey.