Benning underwent successful hip surgery, general manager Mike Grier said Thursday, and will be out of action five months.
That would put Benning out for the season as the Sharks are at the bottom of the NHL standings. Benning ends the season with two assists, 29 blocked shots and 15 hits in 14 games. He should be ready for the start of training camp in September.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Out indefinitely
Rotowire
Benning (lower body) is out indefinitely, coach David Quinn told Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now on Wednesday.
Benning hasn't played since Dec. 1 due to the injury. He has two assists, 15 hits and 29 blocks in 14 contests this season. When Benning returns, he might serve in a top-four capacity, though he likely won't have a role on the power play.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Shifts to IR
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Benning (lower body) was moved to injured reserve Tuesday, per the NHL media site.
Benning, who is considered week-to-week, hasn't been in the lineup since Dec. 3 against the Rangers. He has collected two assists, 13 shots on goal, 29 blocked shots and 15 hits across 14 appearances this season.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Deemed week-to-week
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Benning (lower body) is considered week-to-week, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning, who didn't play in the past two games, doesn't have an exact timetable for his return yet. He has registered two assists, 13 shots on goal, 29 blocked shots and 15 hits across 14 appearances this season. The Sharks brought up Henry Thrun from AHL San Jose on Saturday to serve as an extra defender.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Activated off injured reserve
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Benning (undisclosed) was taken off injured reserve Friday.
Jan Rutta (undisclosed) was moved to IR in a corresponding move. Benning has an assist, seven hits and 18 blocks in eight games this season. He might draw into the lineup as Rutta's replacement, but it's also possible that Marc-Edouard Vlasic will take that spot, which would potentially leave Benning as a healthy scratch.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Nearing return to action
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Benning (undisclosed) is close to getting back into the lineup according to head coach David Quinn, Max Miller of The Hockey News reports Monday.
Benning played in eight games prior to getting hurt in which he recorded one assist, seven hits and 18 blocked shots while averaging 18:29 of ice time per game. Even once cleared to play, Benning is far from a lock to play and could find himself periodically watching from the press box as a healthy scratch. As such, he shouldn't be expected to offer much in the way of fantasy value outside of blocks.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Lands on injured reserve
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Benning was designated for injured reserve Tuesday with an undisclosed injury, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning wasn't on the ice for practice Tuesday after reportedly blocking a shot versus the Capitals on Saturday, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. On the year, the 29-year-old Benning has garnered just one assist to go with nine shots, seven hits and six PIM. The defenseman will likely be replaced in the lineup by Jacob MacDonald or Nikita Okhotyuk, who were both just taken off injured reserve Tuesday.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Good to go
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Benning (lower body) will return to the lineup Sunday versus the Capitals, per Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News.
Benning sat out Friday's 3-0 loss to Carolina due to a lingering lower-body issue. He has one assist, eight shots on goal, 16 blocked shots and seven hits in seven appearances this season. Coach David Quinn didn't say whom Benning will replace on the blue line in Sunday's contest.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Dealing with lower-body injury
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Benning missed Friday's game against Carolina due to a lingering lower-body issue, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning has been playing through the injury but was given a night off Friday. It doesn't sound like a serious issue, so he could be back in the lineup Sunday in Washington. The 29-year-old blueliner has one assist in seven games this season.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Slings assist in shootout loss
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Benning logged an assist, five blocked shots and two PIM in Saturday's 2-1 shootout loss to the Avalanche.
Benning picked up his first point of the year when he set up Thomas Bordeleau's goal in the first period. The 29-year-old Benning is one of the most experienced members of the Sharks' blue line this year, so he should be a fixture in a top-four role. He's racked up five blocks, four PIM and one hit in addition to his assist through two contests in 2023-24.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Set to return versus Avs
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Benning (lower body) is slated to play in Tuesday's matchup with Colorado, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning will be back in action following a two-game absence due to his lower-body problem. It's been 58 straight games since the blueliner found the back of the net, so fantasy players probably shouldn't be expecting him to tickle the twine any time soon.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Not expected to play Saturday
Rotowire
Benning (lower body) is listed among the scratches for Saturday's game versus the Coyotes, per the NHL media site.
Benning is expected to miss his second straight game and his third in the last five contests. Henry Thrun will continue to log bottom-four minutes in place of Benning, who will try to return for Tuesday's home game versus the Avalanche.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Not playing Thursday
Rotowire
Benning (lower body) will not play against Vegas on Thursday, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning missed a game in Vancouver a week ago and while he played in each of his last two games, he has not been 100 percent. Benning has a goal, 23 assists, 117 blocked shots and 98 hits this season.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Playing Saturday
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Benning (undisclosed) will play Saturday versus the Flames, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning, who sat out Thursday's 7-2 loss to Vancouver, has accounted for 24 points, 52 shots on goal, 112 blocks and 95 hits in 69 contests this campaign.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Game-time decision Saturday
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Benning (undisclosed) will be a game-time decision versus Calgary on Saturday, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Benning did not play Thursday in Vancouver. The defenseman has a goal and a career high 24 points with 95 hits and 112 blocked shots in 69 games this season.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Out of action Thursday
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Benning (undisclosed) won't play Thursday versus the Canucks, per the NHL media site.
No reason for Benning's absence was provided during warmups. The 28-year-old has a career-high 24 points through 69 contests this season while filling a top-four role. Derrick Pouliot will play Thursday while Benning is day-to-day ahead of Saturday's game in Calgary.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Posts assist
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Benning notched an assist, two shots on goal and five hits in Monday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Oilers.
Benning was able to get on the scoresheet against his first NHL club, helping out on a Steven Lorentz tally. The assist was Benning's second in the last four games but just his third in 10 outings in March. The 28-year-old defenseman has a career-high 24 points with 52 shots on net, 95 hits, 111 blocked shots and a minus-16 rating through 69 appearances.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Records helper in overtime loss
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Benning produced an assist and blocked two shots in Tuesday's 6-5 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets.
After a strong first half of the campaign, Benning has just two helpers in 17 contests since the All-Star break. The 28-year-old likely wasn't going to keep his offense up forever, as he's more of a physical presence. For the season, he's at one goal, 22 helpers, 48 shots on net, 108 blocked shots, 89 hits and a minus-16 rating through 66 appearances.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: Snaps slump Thursday
Rotowire
Benning picked up a shorthanded assist, two shots on goal and two blocked shots in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Blues.
Benning didn't get on the scoresheet in 10 games in February, but he didn't let the drought extend into March. He set up a Steven Lorentz shorthanded tally in the third period. Benning secured a career season Thursday -- he's up to 22 points with 45 shots on net, 93 blocked shots, 85 hits and a minus-9 rating through 60 appearances.
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Sharks' Matt Benning: No points in return
Rotowire
Benning posted one shot on goal and one blocked shot in the Sharks' 3-2 overtime defeat to the Red Wings on Tuesday.
After missing Sunday's matchup against the Bruins with an illness, Benning returned to the lineup and logged 20:36. He also contributed a hit and a blocked shot during the contest. Benning should occupy a spot in the Sharks' top-four defensive corps and second power-play unit for the time being.
