Florida Panthers defenseman Mike Benning (20) and Carolina Hurricanes left wing Josiah Slavin (23) fight for possession during the first period of an NHL game at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday, September 29, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla.
D.A. Varela
dvarela@miamiherald.com
Being a Florida Panther runs in Mike Benning’s blood.
His dad, Brian, was a defenseman for the inaugural Panthers team in the 1993-94 season and finished his 568-game NHL career in South Florida.
More than three decades later, Mike Benning is following in his dad’s footsteps.
The younger Benning, a defenseman like his dad, will make his NHL debut for the Panthers on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets
“I’m excited,” Benning said after morning skate Thursday. “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t nervous, but yeah, it’s what you dream for as a kid growing up. Just soak it in and be the best player I can be.”
The Panthers selected Benning in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, but he didn’t formally sign with the team until April 13, 2023, after spending the ensuing three years at the collegiate level with the University of Denver.
At that point, Benning joined the Panthers as an extra skater on their run to their first of three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances and then built his game over the past three seasons with the Charlotte Checkers, Florida’s American Hockey League affiliate.
“I know most of the guys here, just from training camps and such,” Benning, 24, said. “It gives me a little feel. Still gives me nerves, but hopefully those will wear off game time.”
Benning, who has 89 career points (26 goals, 63 assists) in 182 games for Charlotte over the past three seasons, is an offensive-minded defenseman. He will play on Florida’s second pair with Niko Mikkola in lieu of Uvis Balinskis, who is dealing with a lower-body injury.
“He’s a really strong skating, puck-moving defenseman,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “He’s got very good agility going left to right and closing gaps. I want him to play with that courage to show he can do that.”
But Maurice also doesn’t want Benning to focus on the hockey portion of the game — at least, not entirely
“What I want for him is I want those people to look down at Mike,” Maurice said, “and say, ‘He’s having the time of his life, right? He’s enjoying the heck out of it.’”
Both generations of Bennings will hopefully be in the arena for the moment. Mike said Brian is flying in from Edmonton to Sunrise for the game.
“It’s cool,” Benning said. “A little Benning history.”
And as for the advice dad gave him before he takes the ice on Thursday?
“Smile. Enjoy it,” Mike Benning said. “You only get one of these. That’s what Paul told me to So, yeah, just enjoy it. Make the most of it.”
More lineup news
In addition to Benning making his debut and Balinskis being out, Maurice will be swapping two forwards in his lineup.
Anton Lundell and Carter Verhaeghe are out Thursday against Columbus, while Sam Reinhart and Cole Reinhardt draw in.
Maurice said Balinskis, who has been playing through a lower-body injury sustained after blocking a shot against the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 27, will be shut down “until he gets 100%.”
Verhaeghe, who scored twice in the final 90 seconds on Tuesday to lead Florida to a come-from-behind victory against the Detroit Red Wings, “tightened up in the game” against Detroit and came to the practice facility “a little stiffer” on Wednesday, Maurice said Wednesday.
No specific injury was given for Lundell, but Maurice and Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito said the team will be monitoring ice time for top players down the stretch of the season. Lundell is averaging more than 19 minutes per game this season, well above his career average of 16:36 per game, while taking on extra responsibilites with Aleksander Barkov not playing.
Reinhart did not play Tuesday because of that ice-time monitoring and maintenance. Reinhardt, claimed off waivers Friday from the Vegas Golden Knights, is making his Panthers debut.
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Miami Herald
Jordan McPherson covers the Miami Hurricanes and Florida Panthers for the Miami Herald. He attended the University of Florida and covered the Gators athletic program for five years before joining the Herald staff in December 2017.