Maple Leafs Rugged Defenseman Sidelined With Injury

Training camp opened today for the Toronto Maple Leafs. A day that is supposed to be met with excitement and endless opportunities for the upcoming season is already off to a rocky start.

Maple Leafs Defenseman Sidelined Due To Injury

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that defenseman Simon Benoit will be out with back spasms.



This is a tough start to Simon Benoit's tenure as a Maple Leaf. He was signed this offseason to a one-year $775,000 contract. Benoit is a roster bubble player who would likely bring some physicality and youth to the blue line of the Maple Leafs.

Benoit Looking For A Fresh Start

When Simon Benoit signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he hoped for a fresh start. He has played 137 games in the NHL to this point in his career with the Anaheim Ducks. After a promising start, it looked like he would be a part of the Ducks future on defense. Then in 2022-23, the Ducks struggled as a whole especially defensively and the Ducks let Benoit walk.

Benoit is a defensive defenseman. He relies on physicality to thrive in the NHL if he is already struggling with injuries that is not a good sign for him making it through an entire NHL season and being durable.

Hopefully, this is only a minor setback for Benoit and he can return to the ice for preseason and start showing why he deserves a roster spot.