Moncton will take a swing on the upside of Benigno, adding him to their remade forward core.
Camp season in the QMJHL often means trade season, and there's been another one completed on Tuesday morning.
The deal will send forward Charlie Benigno to the Moncton Wildcats, with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies receiving a 2027 sixth-round pick in return.
Benigno, 18, was a fifth-round pick by the Huskies in the 2024 QMJHL draft. After spending most of his 16-year-old season in U18 AAA, he broke into the Rouyn-Noranda team last year in a depth role, scoring eight (4+4) points in 39 games.
Charlie Benigno will hope to use his size and untapped offensive ability to Moncton. (Photo: Jean Lapointe)The Halifax native showed some flashes of skill with the Huskies, and with his 6-foot-2 frame, has the potential to become a solid power forward in the league.
Clearly, the MacDougalls in Moncton believe this to be the case, and are taking a chance on Benigno's upside as they remake their forward group ahead of the new season.
For Rouyn-Noranda, it's likely he just wasn't in their plans as the team begins to build around recent first-overall pick Thomas Boisvert and the other cadre of young talent on their roster.
Benigno currently has no active NCAA or USports commitment for the conclusion of his QMJHL career, but could have plenty of suitors if he's to break out in Moncton.
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