Panthers Recall Defenseman Mike Benning After He Played All 56 Checkers Games

Mike Benning has spent three full seasons grinding through the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers. Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, he gets his shot at the next level.

The Florida Panthers recalled the 24-year-old defenseman ahead of their home game against Columbus, with Benning set to make his NHL debut after Uvis Balinskis was ruled out due to the aggravation of an injury he originally sustained a couple of weeks ago against Buffalo. Coach Paul Maurice confirmed Balinskis would not dress, clearing the path for Benning to slot in alongside Niko Mikkola on Florida's second defensive pairing.

Benning was on the ice for Florida's optional morning skate at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, a strong signal that the recall was more than precautionary. Florida selected him in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, and he has repaid that investment steadily over three seasons in Charlotte, posting 26 goals and 89 points in 182 AHL games with 124 penalty minutes and a plus-16 rating. Those numbers reflect a defenseman who contributes in both zones and understands the physical side of the game.

The Panthers are already managing a thinned-out lineup Thursday. Maurice also confirmed that Carter Verhaeghe and Anton Lundell will both be held out. Verhaeghe practiced but was shut down after something tightened up following his two-goal performance in Tuesday's win over Detroit. With those absences up front, Sergei Bobrovsky will start in net behind a forward group that projects with Matthew Tkachuk on a line with A.J. Greer and Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart centering Eetu Luostarinen and Evan Rodrigues, and Mackie Samoskevich joining Luke Kunin and Vinnie Hinostroza on the fourth line.

Florida enters the game having outscored Detroit 7-4 across back-to-back wins, splitting the home-and-home with a road victory in Motown on Friday and a home win in Sunrise on Tuesday. A third straight win against Columbus would be welcome, though the standings math remains daunting. The Panthers sit 11 points behind Boston with four teams between them in the Eastern Conference. Columbus, meanwhile, is fighting for its playoff life, trailing the Bruins by two points for the final Wild Card spot with 18 games remaining for both clubs.

For the Blue Jackets, Thursday is a must-win situation dressed up as a regular-season game. For Benning, it is simply the moment he has been building toward since his draft day in 2020.