Simon Benoit’s contribution to the Toronto Maple Leafs isn’t subtle or difficult to comprehend.
The blueliner uses his 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame to knock down opponents — or get in front of their shots — to snuff out offence. When the occasion calls for it, he’s willing to drop the mitts.
In his own words, Benoit can’t “score a f—ing goal,” but he’s glad to hit the bodies for his teammates.
The Maple Leafs were served up a prime example of what that looked like in their loss to the New York Islanders on Monday as Benoit decked Mathew Barzal on the penalty kill, which prompted a fight with Bo Horvat. That tilt erased New York’s man advantage thanks to Horvat earning an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and Toronto tied the game seven seconds later.
. . .
Benoit hasn’t just been a stay-at-home guy with an edge this season, though. He has been the human manifestation of the dead puck era. Benoit and offence simply cannot co-exist.
His role isn’t to get points. I’d rather have my defensemen prevent scoring rather than add to the scoring.
100% agree. I’m fully on board with him being the human embodiment of the dead puck era.
Lybushkin 2.0 LOL
