After scoring the Toronto Maple Leafs' game-winning overtime goal against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, Simon Benoit took the news conference podium and was asked if it was the biggest goal of his life?
"Well, I don't score a lot of goals, so yeah," he said to laughter.
The defensive defenseman has suddenly become a clutch performer for the Leafs from an offensive standpoint. He assisted on Max Domi's overtime goal in Game 2 of their first-round, best-of-seven series. On Thursday, he scored the overtime winner to put Toronto up 3-0 with a chance to advance to the second round with a victory on Saturday.
"I didn't quite know how to react, to be honest," Benoit said of the moment." I just held my arms and didn't move, and I saw those guys coming towards me, so it's a good feeling."
Benoit's tenure with the Maple Leafs started on a low and has reached its highest point yet. Signed late in the summer of 2023 by the Leafs, a back injury forced him to miss much of training camp. Despite being an everyday NHL defenseman with the Anaheim Ducks the previous season, the setback forced Benoit to start the season with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. He eventually found his way back to the Leafs, quickly winning over teammates with his physical, stay-at-home defensive play. He went on to play in 64 games the previous season while also earning a three-year, $4.05 million contract extension.
This year, Benoit struggled at the beginning of the season. He also underwent some life changes, becoming a father for the first time and adjusting to the demand on his personal time.
"My game wasn't quite there yet, and the management was good enough to just let me take my sleep back and work my way through it.," Benoit said. "And after Christmas, I think I managed to manage all the things that was happening at home. It's the best thing that could happen to me, like, my baby's just fantastic and I have a wonderful girlfriend at home."
In many ways, the signing of Benoit proved to be Brad Treliving's first success story in remaking the team's defense when he was hired to replace Kyle Dubas in May 2023, opting for bigger and more physical defensemen like the 6-foot-4 defender.
Benoit was the first step. Adding players like Chris Tanev and trading for Brandon Carlo only helped take the defense a step further.
Despite some early struggles this season, Benoit continued to build on his first season with Toronto, playing in 78 games, and while he scored one goal and nine assists in that span, it certainly wasn't his primary function. But it's not all too surprising from head coach Craig Berube's standpoint.
"To me he's jumping up in the play more skating the puck out of our zone more, more confident with the puck is what I see from them, which is a good thing," Berube said.
Benoit won't be counted on regularly contributing offensively like he has in the last three games. But with Games 2 and 3 changing the complexion of the series, he has helped put Toronto in a position to sweep the Senators in the opening round if they can win on Friday.
"He’s a hell of a human being, hell of a player. One of the characters on our team and kind of the heart and soul," Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz said of Benoit. : "It’s extremely exciting for him to be able to get that goal tonight. I think, what, with two seconds left he blocks two shots there. Guys just teeing off, trying to take slapshots, get them to the net, and Benny’s sacrificing his body and just laying it all on the line. For him to just throw a puck at the net there, and get rewarded, it’s very exciting for him."
Benoit became the seventh defenseman in NHL history to factor offensively on back-to-back overtime winning goals.
