Is there space for Matt Benning on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ crowded blue line?

The 31-year-old defenceman was acquired in last year’s Timothy Liljegren trade with the Sharks, but has yet to appear in a Maple Leafs sweater. Upon his arrival in Toronto, he was sent down on waivers to the Toronto Marlies where he played the remainder of the season, rehabbing after a January hip surgery kept him out of the tail end of the 2023-24 season.

Now, he’s looking forward to September’s training camp as he fights to make his return to the big leagues.

“I still think I’m an NHL defenceman,” Benning told Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. “I didn’t get a chance for a call-up [with the Maple Leafs] but their D core is really good. I don’t blame them. I need a good camp to either impress them or another team before the season starts.”

Benning’s journey to Toronto’s blue line will not be an easy one. With Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, Christopher Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Brandon Carlo and Simon Benoit all pretty much defensive locks for Toronto, Benning would need a big camp to prove the value of calling him and his $1.25 million contract up to the Leafs roster. That’s before you consider Philippe Myers, Henry Thrun, Dakota Mermis, and a handful of prospects competing for a spot as well.

But for Benning, the focus is on returning to the NHL above anything else. Through his career he’s had stints with his hometown Edmonton Oilers, the Nashville Predators, and the Sharks, with 102 points in 464 games played. With that in a mind, a strong showing in camp could also increase Benning’s value as a trade piece this season. A veteran defenceman with a relatively low cap hit, only a year left on his contract, and some decent size at 6-foot-1 and 203 lb., there’s certainly a market if he can perform the way he has in the past.

So just weeks out from training camp, it’s up to Benning to prove his value to Toronto. Whether that’s as a player, a minor leaguer, or a trade piece remains to be seen.