![\"Florida](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MIA_6DAV_CATS_HURRICANES.JPG\" "\\"Florida")
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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.<\/p>\n
D.A. Varela<\/p>\n
dvarela@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n
Being a Florida Panther runs in Mike Benning\u2019s blood.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
More than three decades later, Mike Benning is following in his dad\u2019s footsteps.<\/p>\n
The younger Benning, a defenseman like his dad, will make his NHL debut for the Panthers on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited,\u201d Benning said after morning skate Thursday. \u201cI\u2019d be lying if I said it wasn\u2019t nervous, but yeah, it\u2019s what you dream for as a kid growing up. Just soak it in and be the best player I can be.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Panthers selected Benning in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, but he didn\u2019t formally sign with the team until April 13, 2023, after spending the ensuing three years at the collegiate level with the University of Denver.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s American Hockey League affiliate.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know most of the guys here, just from training camps and such,\u201d Benning, 24, said. \u201cIt gives me a little feel. Still gives me nerves, but hopefully those will wear off game time.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s second pair with Niko Mikkola in lieu of Uvis Balinskis, who is dealing with a lower-body injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a really strong skating, puck-moving defenseman,\u201d Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. \u201cHe\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Maurice also doesn\u2019t want Benning to focus on the hockey portion of the game \u2014 at least, not entirely<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I want for him is I want those people to look down at Mike,\u201d Maurice said, \u201cand say, \u2018He\u2019s having the time of his life, right? He\u2019s enjoying the heck out of it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s cool,\u201d Benning said. \u201cA little Benning history.\u201d<\/p>\n
And as for the advice dad gave him before he takes the ice on Thursday?<\/p>\n
\u201cSmile. Enjoy it,\u201d Mike Benning said. \u201cYou only get one of these. That\u2019s what Paul told me to So, yeah, just enjoy it. Make the most of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
More lineup news<\/p>\n
In addition to Benning making his debut and Balinskis being out, Maurice will be swapping two forwards in his lineup.<\/p>\n
Anton Lundell and Carter Verhaeghe are out Thursday against Columbus, while Sam Reinhart and Cole Reinhardt draw in.<\/p>\n
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 \u201cuntil he gets 100%.\u201d<\/p>\n
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, \u201ctightened up in the game\u201d against Detroit and came to the practice facility \u201ca little stiffer\u201d on Wednesday, Maurice said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n