On any chilly day in Magness Arena, the snow is falling, everybody has coats and jackets on, the is clock ticking and all eyes are bound on No. 20, Mike Benning. Benning, an elite defenseman and a sophomore on the DU men’s hockey team, hails from St. Albert, Alberta.
Benning played for the Sherwood Park Crusaders in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). While a Crusader, he was drafted as the 95th overall pick by the Florida Panthers in the 2020 NHL draft. The draft choice was a welcome surprise to Benning, whose father, Brian Benning, was a defenseman for the NHL team.
The year he was drafted, Benning was the top-scoring defenseman in the AJHL, as he was the year before. He was chosen for the 2018-2019 AJHL All-Rookie Team, and he represented Team Canada at the 2019 World Junior Challenge.
Benning is an undeclared business major with an interest in marketing, finance and management.
Benning has hobbies, but in school, he has classes and homework to deal with, and on top of that he has hockey. He loves going outdoors and enjoying water sports like wave surfing, water skiing, fishing or competing with his teammates in spike ball.
Benning comes from a family of elite NHL players, his brother also playing in the NHL for the Nashville Predators. One of Benning’s personal goals, besides graduating from DU, is to be at the top level of hockey just like his brother and dad.
“DU hockey has given me a great opportunity to [have success in academics and hockey],” Benning said.
This year is a big one for him—Benning and his team hope to win a national championship by conquering the Frozen Four, the NCAA semifinals.
“All the guys think we can do it; [we] believe [we] can do it. That’s a really big goal that we’re all striving for this year,” Benning said.
But Benning knows, how you practice is how you perform.
After warmups, like every top athlete, Benning has a pre-game routine. He goes in the stands for 10-15 minutes with a couple of his buddies to envision himself on the blue line, breaking up pucks, blocking shots and hitting that one-timer. That is what gets him in the game.
Head Coach David Carle had heartwarming thoughts about Benning’s mindset. He has many high hopes about Benning being a professional athlete. Coach Carle stated that it’s all about being a polished athlete, and that requires discipline.
“The guys that can stay in the NHL, not just make it to the NHL, are usually the ones that are very detailed away from the rink, have great routines and act like a professional in all aspects of their life. Mike is someone that we’re working with on that, [and] he’s making good steps in those regards,” Coach Carle said.
Aside from the Florida Panthers, Brian Benning played for the ST. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers and his brother Matt Benning also played for the Edmonton Oilers. The Benning family has lots of experience in the NHL rink, and it can be seen in Benning’s playstyle.
“[They taught me things like] shooting pucks, one-timing pucks, [and] seeing the ice from an offensive standpoint,” Benning said.
Benning also explained that he learned about the little insides of the game.
“My brother is one of my greatest influencers, so was my dad. They always wanted to challenge me growing up, whether that was in school, playing cards on the rink, off the rink; it didn’t really matter what it was, everyone was so competitive. [They taught me to] know the little insides of the game, little things in the game that when you’re younger you don’t pay attention to, but now as I’m [getting] older [I] realize. They taught me [those things] at a young age, and it [has] translated to my game today,” Benning said.
Obviously, family is a very important factor on the rink, but off the rink, it is Benning’s grandpa that made him into a better player and person.
“He was a really good mentor for me in my life and he was really positive with everything,” Benning said. A strong supporter of his, Benning’s grandpa recently passed away, which saddened him but led him to a stronger mentality.
“I think [his passing] was really a mental toll, and emotional for me. That happened in Junior [year], so now it’s just me looking at the goal ahead, which is this team and what we can do,” Benning said.
He cares about his team just like he cares about his family, and a big part of that is trusting his teammates as if they were brothers.
“I think going out there, looking my teammates in the eyes, knowing that I’m going to give it my all and they’re going to give me their all [is key],” Benning said. “I’m going to do whatever is in my will to do that, and they help me along the way.”
In many ways, Benning creates his reality for hockey. To be the best possible player he can be in the game, he turns impossibles into new challenges that he can pursue.
“I’m a dreamer. I think of a lot of stuff that I can achieve, and even if, [because of] my capabilities,” Benning said. “[I] know that I can’t do that, I still think I can.”
