Matthew Tkachuk, Aaron Ekblad, and the Florida Panthers could welcome a new face to the lineup in the 2025-26 NHL season. That is after Bill Zito and the front office re-signed a talented prospect to a very cap-friendly deal.
The Panthers have yet to figure out a way to be under the salary cap before the NHL season begins. However, everybody in Sunrise is in good spirits. Even Tkachuk, who is still doubtful about a potentially career-changing decision. After dealing with injuries all season long, the biggest hockey star in Florida could undergo surgery and miss a big chunk of the campaign.
However, that’s a decision that will take some more time before Tkachuk announces it. On another note, the Cats are making the final tweaks to their roster and that of AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. In that regard, Bill Zito and company have made a firm decision on a defenseman who might join Ekblad and the defensive corps in the near-future.
The Panthers have signed blueliner Mike Benning to a one-year, two-way contract, as announced by the team’s social media account. The deal is valued at $775k and will allow the Cats to move the 23-year-old up-and-down the ranks of the organization.
General Manger Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers watches the postgame celebration following a win against the Carolina Hurricanes of Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 28, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Benning’s background
Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, the 5’9” defenseman might be a bit undersized for Paul Maurice’s liking. No blueliner in the Panthers’ current group stands below 6’0”, and thus Benning has some ground to cover. He must compensate for his lack of physicality with his set of skills. So far, he has yet to make his NHL debut.
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Instead, since being drafted in 2020 Benning has played at the NCAA level (with the University of Denver) through the 2022-23 season. The defenseman signed a three-year, $2.75M entry-level contract (ELC) in 2022. He spent the last two seasons with the Checkers, where he appeared in 126 games and put up 58 points (18 G, 40 A).
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Now, Benning has earned another chance to impress the staff in Broward County and have his number called. It could be his last shot to make it in the NHL, or at least with the Panthers. Florida’s prospect pool isn’t particularly deep, nor mind-blowing. Yet, the years go by, and their fourth-round pick from 2020 has yet to blossom.
