Despite being the subject of trade discussions for the first time, defenseman Simon Benoit remains committed to the Toronto Maple Leafs' logo even as the team struggles to snap a seven-game losing streak.
The Toronto Maple Leafs fell 5-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, extending their losing streak to seven games. The team still does not have a win since the NHL held its three-week pause for the Olympic break. While it would be understandable for any player involved in trade discussions to be open to a change of scenery from a struggling team, Simon Benoit was happy to remain in Toronto when it was all said and done.
“I love being here. They gave me a chance, so obviously I want to play for this logo,” Benoit said after the game. “I try my hardest out there. Obviously, it’s not going the way I wish it would go.”
The Maple Leafs signed Benoit in 2023. Despite starting his tenure with the Toronto Marlies, the defender worked his way up to become a mainstay for the blue and white. He also earned a three-year, $4.05 million extension with the club, which runs through the end of the 2026-27 season.
Benoit noted that he spent Friday’s trade deadline at the aquarium as the hours ticked down. He was particularly close with Bobby McMann, who was traded to the Seattle Kraken. The two were often part of a small group of players, including Joseph Woll and Matthew Knies, who would dine together on the road.
“I didn’t really think about it too much,” Benoit said regarding the deadline. “We lost some guys—all three of them. But it is what it is. We just have to stick with each other and keep playing hockey.”
Benoit remains an everyday option for the Leafs’ defense, though he has been scratched at times due to performance fluctuations. The 27-year-old has four assists in 56 games and is currently a minus-13, a shift from previous years in which he maintained a positive rating. In addition to Benoit, defenseman Brandon Carlo was another name floated in trade speculation, but he also remained in Toronto.