Preview/Lines #39: Benning Has Season-Ending Hip Surgery

A difficult season for Matt Benning is over.

Benning, out since Dec. 3 with a lower-body injury, just had hip surgery, per the San Jose Sharks, which should sideline him for the rest of the 2023-24 campaign.

The estimated recovery time for Benning is five months. He should be ready for training camp next season.

Benning, who enjoyed something of a breakout campaign last year, achieving a career-high in points and usage in the first season of a four-year contract, has never been able to get on track this season.

He’s played in just 14 games this year, going on the IR twice, on Halloween and on Dec. 12. It appears to be roughly the same injury that has affected him all year, judging by San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn’s previous statements.

This is yet another significant injury for the Sharks, who lead the NHL in man games lost:

SJHN Daily: Sharks Lead NHL in Man Games Lost

Benning was San Jose’s third most-used defenseman last year. In his place, the Sharks have turned to the likes of Kyle Burroughs, Ty Emberson, Calen Addison, Nikita Okhotiuk, Henry Thrun, Nikita Knyzhov, and Jan Rutta to help shoulder the load.

San Jose Sharks (9-26-3)

David Quinn will announce his starter at about 5 PM today.

#SJSharks power play groups at practice, back to Addison on PP1:

🦈Addison-Granlund-Hertl-Hoffman-Zetterlund
🦈Ferraro-Duclair-Eklund-Barabanov-Bailey

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 3, 2024

Quinn says Thrun and Burroughs were just maintenance days.

Expects Blackwood to be available to start tomorrow, doesn't mean he will, but he's getting to 100 percent

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 3, 2024

Winnipeg Jets (23-9-4)

No other changes for #NHLJets

Perfetti-Scheifele-Iafallo
Ehlers-Namestnikov-Vilardi
Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton
Barron-Toninato-AJF

Morrissey-DeMelo
Dillon-Pionk
Samberg-Schmidt
Chisholm-Stanley

Hellebuyck starts in goal vs #SJSharks
Brossoit

— Ken Wiebe (@WiebesWorld) January 4, 2024

Where to Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Winnipeg Jets is 7:30 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.