Beau Bennett

Beau Bennett
Bennett with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013
Born	(1991-11-27) November 27, 1991 (age 32) Gardena, California, U.S.
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Pittsburgh Penguins New Jersey Devils St. Louis Blues Dinamo Minsk
NHL draft	20th overall, 2010 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	2012–2020

Beau Daniel Bennett (born November 27, 1991) is an American former professional ice hockey right winger.

Bennett attended the University of Denver until 2012. ^[1] He was drafted into the National Hockey League (NHL) by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round, 20th overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. ^[2] Bennett is the highest-drafted Californian born-and-trained player in NHL history ^[3] and became the first California born-and-trained player to win the Stanley Cup when he won it as a member of the Penguins in 2016. However, his name was not engraved on the Cup due to not meeting NHL requirements for number of games played during the season. ^[4]

Playing career

Minor

Bennett started out playing in-line hockey and made a transition to playing ice hockey full-time.^{[ citation needed ]} He played in the 2003 and 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with the Los Angeles Junior Kings. ^[5]

Junior

Bennett committed in June 2009 to play for Penticton's British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) team, the Penticton Vees. He chose Penticton over the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Calgary Hitmen and the United States Hockey League (USHL)'s Tri-City Storm, the two teams owning his major junior and USHL playing rights, respectively. While only a rookie, Bennett was placed on the top forward line alongside team captain Denver Manderson at center and Alex Szczechura at left wing.^{[ citation needed ]}

Bennett had an incredibly strong start to his season before being named to represent his country at the World Junior A Challenge. After contributing three goals and four points and winning a gold medal, Bennett returned to Penticton to record ten goals and ten assists in nine games. In December, he was named top forward at the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) prospects games in Winkler, Manitoba. In January, Bennett played in the BCHL All-Star Game. ^[6]

Towards the end of the season, due to an injury to the top line's centerman, Denver Manderson, Bennett was switched to center, a position he had never played. He flourished in the position, and in the final regular season game, he scored four points to tie Mark Zengerle for the league scoring title with 120 points. (Bennett had 41 goals and 79 assists; Zengerle had 33 goals and 87 assists.) ^[7]

In the Interior Conference Finals, the Vees were facing elimination by the opposing Vernon Vipers. The Vipers hosted Game 5, which went into triple overtime. After helping force a 2–2 tie by scoring a goal, Bennett set up the play that gave the Vees another chance at victory. After receiving a pass, he beat the Vipers' defenders and approached the right side of the net, followed-up by teammate Denver Manderson as well as Vernon defensemen. Feinting an attempt at a wraparound goal, he used a skillful backhand pass through his skates to Manderson that the Vernon goaltender, Graeme Gordon, did not notice. Making as though he still carried the puck, he swept around the back of the net, with Gordon following to cover his right (net's left) side of the net, leaving his left (net's right) wide open for Manderson to shoot the perfectly-placed puck into the net. ^[8] Despite the Game 5 victory in overtime, however, the Vees went on to be defeated in the subsequent game 6.

Despite the less-than-perfect end to his season, Bennett was named the BCHL's Rookie of the Year, as well as the recipient of the Penticton Vees' Leading Scorer Award and the Rookie of the Year Award. ^[9]

College

In his freshman year at the University of Denver, Bennett played 37 games for the Pioneers ice hockey team, scoring 25 points (nine goals and 16 assists). ^[10] He recorded four multi-point games — two points in games against Bemidji State, Lake Superior State, Minnesota State and Alaska–Anchorage. He tallied six assists during a six-game point streak from March 4 through March 19, and added 98 hits and 15 blocked shots throughout the campaign. He missed five games, however, from December 4 through January 1 with a right knee injury.^{[ citation needed ]}

In his sophomore year, Bennett played 10 games and scored 13 points (4 goals and 9 assists). He injured his wrist during practice on October 26 and missed four games, returning to the lineup on November 12. He recorded five points (two goals and three assists) in a four-game point streak from November 12 to 25. On December 8, 2011, Bennett had surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his wrist. ^[11] The injury forced him to miss the final 29 games of the season. He was named to the All-WCHA Academic Team.^{[ citation needed ]}

On April 13, 2012, Bennett signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. ^[12] Bennett finished his Denver career with 38 points on 13 goals and 25 assists in 47 games. ^{[13] [14]}

Professional

On February 14, 2013, Bennett was called up to the NHL from Pittsburgh's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He played in his first career NHL game against the Winnipeg Jets on February 15. On February 24, he scored his first career NHL goal, on the power play, against Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Mathieu Garon. Bennett's play during the regular season earned him a spot in the starting lineup for the Penguins' first game in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. He scored a power play goal in his first-ever playoff game, coming against New York Islanders goaltender Evgeni Nabokov on May 1.^{[ citation needed ]}

During the 2013–14 season, Bennett's year was interrupted due to a broken wrist he suffered whilst playing against the Islanders on November 22, 2013, in Pittsburgh. ^{[15] [16]} He had surgery the following week and returned to the lineup four months later on March 28, 2014, in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he scored the game-winning goal in a 2–1 Penguins victory. ^{[17] [18]}

On June 12, 2016, Bennett became the first California born-and-trained player to become a Stanley Cup champion as part of the Penguins' 2016 Stanley Cup championship over the San Jose Sharks. ^[19] He played 33 games for the Penguins in the 2015–16 season, and one playoff game due to injuries. He did not meet the requirements to have his name placed on the Stanley Cup. ^[20]

On June 25, 2016, Bennett was traded to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for the Detroit Red Wings' third-round draft pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. ^[21]

As a free agent after his lone season with the Devils, Bennett signed a one-year, $650,000 contract with the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2017. ^{[22] [23]} In the following 2017–18 season, after attending the Blues' training camp, Bennett was placed on waivers and reassigned to begin the year with the club's AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. He was later recalled and appeared in six scoreless games with St. Louis before returning to finish with 57 points in 60 games with the Wolves.^{[ citation needed ]}

In the off-season, as a restricted free agent, Bennett opted to halt his North American career after agreeing to a one-year contract with Belarusian club Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) on July 6, 2018. ^[24] In the 2018–19 season, Bennett appeared in five games with Minsk, registering one assist before opting to mutually terminate his contract with the club on September 19, 2018. ^[25]

Bennett returned to North America and sat out the remainder of the season. As a free agent on July 1, 2019, Bennett agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Arizona Coyotes organization. ^[26] On June 26, 2021, Bennett announced his retirement. ^[27]

Personal life

Bennett graduated from Valley Christian High School in Cerritos, California. ^[28] He is the son of Kirk and Louanna Bennett. He also has three siblings: Wade, Shane and Bailey. ^[29]

Bennett's nickname is "Sunshine" after the Remember the Titans character from the same state. ^[30]

In order to be allowed to play hockey, Bennett's parents made him learn to play an instrument. Bennett chose piano, which he played from the age of 8 to 13. ^[29]

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008–09	Los Angeles Junior Kings 18U AAA	T1EHL		46	25	33	58	10		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Penticton Vees	BCHL		56	41	79	120	20		15	5	9	14	6
2010–11	University of Denver	WCHA		37	9	16	25	18		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	University of Denver	WCHA		10	4	9	13	25		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		39	7	21	28	18		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		26	3	11	14	6		6	1	0	1	0
2013–14	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		21	3	4	7	0		12	1	4	5	8
2013–14	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		3	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		49	4	8	12	16		2	0	0	0	0
2015–16	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		33	6	6	12	10		1	0	0	0	0
2016–17	New Jersey Devils	NHL		65	8	11	19	20		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Chicago Wolves	AHL		60	12	45	57	30		1	0	0	0	2
2017–18	St. Louis Blues	NHL		6	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Dinamo Minsk	KHL		5	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Tucson Roadrunners	AHL		55	12	28	40	18		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				200	24	40	64	52		21	2	4	6	8

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing USA
World Junior A Challenge
	2009 Summerside

Awards and honors

Awards	Year
BCHL
Rookie of the Year	2010
Brett Hull Trophy	2010
NHL
Stanley Cup champion	2016	[31]

References

1. "Bennett takes the next step". Pittsburgh Sports Report. July 16, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
2. "2010 NHL Entry Draft". Archived from the original on June 27, 2010. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
3. "Former Jr. King Beau Bennett a fast riser". LA Kings Insider. July 25, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
4. Crechiolo, Michelle (June 22, 2011). "One Year Later: Beau Bennett". NHL.com. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
5. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
6. "Draft Profile (F) #78 – Beau Bennett". Penticton Vees. June 22, 2010. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
7. "Penticton Vees player stats". British Columbia Hockey League. April 15, 2013. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
8. Corbett, Graeme (March 27, 2010). "BCHL PLAYOFFS – Penticton plucks Game 5 in OT thriller". Vernon Morning Star. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
9. "Pentiction Vees awards announced". Penticton Vees. April 10, 2011. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
10. "Beau Bennett Biography". theahl.com. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
11. "Bennett sidelined after successful wrist surgery". Pittsburgh Penguins. December 8, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
12. "Penguins sign Beau Bennett to entry-level contract". Pittsburgh Penguins. April 13, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
13. "Bennett Preparing for Transition to Pros". Pittsburgh Penguins. October 2, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
14. "BEAU BENNETT SIGNS WITH PITTSBURGH PENGUINS". denverpioneers.com. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
15. "New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins - 11/22/2013". NHL.com.
16. Gentille, Sean (November 25, 2013). "Penguins' Beau Bennett out 8-10 weeks after wrist surgery". sportingnews.com. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
17. "Beau Bennett has surgery; out 8 to 10 weeks". TribLIVE.com.
18. Penguins vs Blue Jackets. National Hockey League. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
19. Bayee, Chris (July 29, 2016). "BEAU KNOWS STANLEY". carubberhockey.com. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
20. Gold-Smith, Josh (October 26, 2016). "Beau Bennett seems fine not having name on Stanley Cup". theScore.com. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
21. Ryan, Chris (June 25, 2016). "Devils trade 3rd-round pick to Pittsburgh Penguins for Beau Bennett". NJ.com. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
22. "Blues ink Beau Bennett to one-year deal". CBS Sports . July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
23. "Beau Bennett". hhof.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
24. "Stanley Cup winner Bennett signs with Dinamo Minsk". HC Dinamo Minsk. July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
25. "Beau Bennett leaves Dinamo Minsk" (in Russian). HC Dinamo Minsk. September 19, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
26. "Coyotes sign Miele, Ness and Bennett". Arizona Coyotes. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
27. "Former Penguins Forward Beau Bennett Announces Retirement". CBS Pittsburgh. June 26, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
28. "Interview With California Native Beau Bennett". nhl.com. NHL. June 25, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
29. Dave Caldwell (March 8, 2017). "Devils Have a Piano Man Who Plays Right Wing". The New York Times .
30. Michelle Crechiolo (October 10, 2013). "Do You Know Beau?". NHL.com. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
31. "Penguins win Stanley Cup, defeat Sharks in Game 6". National Hockey League. June 12, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2016.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Eurohockey.com , or  Hockey-Reference.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Simon Després	Pittsburgh Penguins first round draft pick 2010	Succeeded by Joe Morrow