Toronto Maple Leafs Assign Matt Benning To AHL

30-year-old was acquired in a trade for Timothy Liljegren, was pointless in seven games with San Jose this season

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have assigned defenseman Matt Benning to their AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies. 

Benning was acquired along with a third and sixth-round pick in exchange for Timothy Liljegren in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 30. 

The 30-year-old cleared waivers yesterday and will likely play in an AHL game for the first time since 2020 when he played three games with the Bakersfield Condors. 

The St. Albert, AB., native went pointless in seven games with the Sharks before the deal. He only played in 14 games last season before undergoing hip surgery and missing the remainder of the year.

With 464 NHL games under his belt Benning will bring lots of experience to a relatively young Marlies blueline.  

The Marlies play Saturday Nov. 16 at Scotiabank Arena against the Belleville Senators and Nov. 17 against the Rochester Americans. 

Benning is under contract through the 2025-26 season. He will cost Toronto $1.25 million in the NHL and $100,000 against the cap while in the AHL

The Hockey News Toronto also has you covered on this move here. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.