Eliteprospects
Canada Mike Benning
#2 Charlotte Checkers / AHL - 25/26
1-time AJHL Most Outstanding Defenseman 1
1-time CJHL Top Defenseman 1
1-time CSSHL U16 Champion 1
1-time CSSHL U16 Top Defenseman 1
1-time NCAA (Championship) Winner 1
1-time NCAA (West) Second All-American Team 1
Date of Birth
Jan 05, 2002
Position
D
Age
23
Height
5'9" / 175 cm
Place of Birth
Edmonton, AB, CAN
Weight
176 lbs / 80 kg
Nation
Canada
Shoots
R
Youth Team
St. Albert MHA
Contract
25/26
Cap Hit
$775,000 Powered by
NHL Rights
Florida Panthers Florida Panthers / Signed
Drafted
2020 round 4 #95 overall by Florida Panthers
Agency
PREMIUM

Benning understands how to create space for others through deception and manipulation. He transforms fake-passes and fake-shots into dangles, and fake-shots into passes. Benning shows good mechanics in his slap-shot, firing it hard and with precision. The way he transfers weight bottom-up through his shot is just so refined for a player at this age. -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide

Grandfather: Elmer Benning
Father: Brian Benning
Uncles: Jim Benning, Mark Benning
Cousin: Brandon Benning
Brother: Matt Benning

© Photo: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff

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Mike Benning Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2015-16 St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA AMBHL 34* 6* 12* 18* 22* -* | Playoffs 2 0 1 1 2 -
2016-17 St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA “C” AMBHL 36* 10* 33* 43* 42* -* | Playoffs 10 2 4 6 8 -
St. Albert Flyers U16 AAA AMMHL 1* 0* 1* 1* 0* -* |
2017-18 Northern Alberta Elite 15s CSSHL U16 29* 14* 35* 49* 34* -* | Playoffs 4 1 2 3 17 -
Northern Alberta X-Treme Prep CSSHL U18 1* 0* 0* 0* 0* -* |
2018-19 Sherwood Park Crusaders AJHL 60* 10* 51* 61* 99* -* | Playoffs 12 1 8 9 14 -
2019-20 Sherwood Park Crusaders “A” AJHL 54* 12* 63* 75* 54* -* |
2020-21 Univ. of Denver NCAA 21* 3* 8* 11* 8* -1* |
2021-22 Univ. of Denver NCAA 41* 15* 23* 38* 14* 32* |
2022-23 Univ. of Denver NCAA 39* 13* 21* 34* 38* 24* |
2023-24 Charlotte Checkers AHL 72* 9* 17* 26* 50* 7* | Playoffs 3 0 1 1 2 -2
2024-25 Charlotte Checkers AHL 54* 9* 23* 32* 34* -1* | Playoffs 18 5 4 9 12 6
2025-26 Charlotte Checkers AHL 19* 1* 8* 9* 22* -4* |
Projected AHL 72* 4* 30* 34* 83* -15* |

Mike Benning Tournament Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2011-12 Team Brick Alberta Brick Invitational 6* 0* 1* 1* 0* -* |
2014-15 St. Albert Sabres PW QC Int PW 5* 0* 6* 6* 4* -* |
2016-17 St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA “C” John Reid Memorial 5* 2* 5* 7* 8* -* |
Team Northwest Alberta Cup 5* 1* 3* 4* 2* -* |
2019-20 AJHL Selects JCWC 5* 1* 3* 4* 6* 2* |
Canada West U19 WJAC-19 4* 0* 1* 1* 0* -* |

Mike Benning Career Totals

League Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- | Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/-
AMBHL (AEHL U15) 2 70* 16* 45* 61* 0.87* 64* -* | 2 12 2 * 5 * 7 * 0.58 * 10 * - *
AMMHL (AEHL U17) 1 1* 0* 1* 1* 1.00* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
AHL 3 145* 19* 48* 67* 0.46* 106* 2* | 2 21 5 * 5 * 10 * 0.48 * 14 * 4 *
AJHL 2 114* 22* 114* 136* 1.19* 153* -* | 1 12 1 * 8 * 9 * 0.75 * 14 * - *
Alberta Cup 1 5* 1* 3* 4* 0.80* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
Brick Invitational 1 6* 0* 1* 1* 0.17* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
CSSHL U16 1 29* 14* 35* 49* 1.69* 34* -* | 1 4 1 * 2 * 3 * 0.75 * 17 * - *
CSSHL U18 1 1* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
JCWC 1 5* 1* 3* 4* 0.80* 6* 2* | 0 * * * * * *
John Reid Memorial 1 5* 2* 5* 7* 1.40* 8* -* | 0 * * * * * *
NCAA 3 101* 31* 52* 83* 0.82* 60* 55* | 0 * * * * * *
QC Int PW 1 5* 0* 6* 6* 1.20* 4* -* | 0 * * * * * *
WJAC-19 1 4* 0* 1* 1* 0.25* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *

Mike Benning Career Highlights

Season
Awards by season
Transactions
DATE STATUS FROM TO SOURCE
10/02/2025
10/02/2025 Up/Down Florida Panthers Charlotte Checkers
08/14/2025
08/14/2025 Extension Florida Panthers Florida Panthers
04/12/2023
04/12/2023 Confirmed Univ. of Denver Florida Panthers
08/29/2018
08/29/2018 Confirmed Sherwood Park Crusaders Univ. of Denver
06/02/2018
06/02/2018 Confirmed Northern Alberta Elite 15s Sherwood Park Crusaders
Player Biography and Trivia

Drafted 2018, 2 #24 overall by Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL Futures Draft

Drafted 2017, 7 #142 overall by Victoria Royals in the WHL Prospects Draft

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #62 by Elite Prospects

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #66 by FCHockey

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #105 by TSN/Craig Button

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #59 by McKeen's Hockey

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #57 by NHL Central Scouting