Benning comes from a family of NHL defensemen. His father Brian played for five teams, including the Oilers and his uncle is Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning, who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Canucks.
Matt Benning played three seasons at Northeastern University, where he had 56 points (nine goals, 47 assists) in 110 games and helped the Huskies win the Hockey East title in 2016.
Benning comes from a family of NHL defensemen. His father Brian played for five teams, including the Oilers and his uncle is Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning, who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Canucks.
Matt Benning played three seasons at Northeastern University, where he had 56 points (nine goals, 47 assists) in 110 games and helped the Huskies win the Hockey East title in 2016.
Selected by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round (No. 175) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Benning signed a two-year, entry level contract as a college free agent with his hometown Edmonton Oilers on Aug. 27, 2016.
After playing two games with Bakersfield of the American Hockey League, Benning was recalled Oct. 21, 2016 and made his NHL debut against the Maple Leafs on Nov. 1. He scored his first NHL goal against the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 7, 2017 and finished the season with 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 62 games.
Benning built off his rookie season in 2017-18, finishing with 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 73 games.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- Signed as a free agent by Edmonton, August 27, 2016.
- Signed as a free agent by Nashville, October 9, 2020.