Simon Benoit
Benoit played as a youth Ligue de hockey M18 AAA du Québec (LHMU18AAA) with Laval-Montréal Rousseau Royal before he was drafted by the Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in the eighth round, 129th overall, of the 2015 QMJHL Entry Draft.[2] Benoit played three seasons in the QMJHL with the Cataractes before he was signed as an undrafted free agent to a one-year contract with the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL), the primary affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks on September 25, 2018.[4] During the 2020–21 season, while in his third year with the San Diego Gulls and adding dependable defensive play on the blueline, Benoit was recalled by the Ducks to make his NHL debut on April 29, 2021.[5] While appearing on the Ducks third defensive pairing, Benoit went scoreless with 12 minutes time on ice in a 3–2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.[13] After 54 games and leading the Leafs in hits with 205 at that juncture in the season, Benoit was rewarded with a three-year extension with the club worth an average value of $1.35 million per year.