Matt Benning

Benning battled head injuries throughout the 2019-20 campaign, skating in only 43 games for the Oilers. He amassed eight points, 78 hits and 34 blocked shots, but he was not given a qualifying offer in the offseason. The Predators nabbed him with a two-year contract, and he's set to compete for a bottom-pairing job. Benning's shown upside offensively in the past, with a career high of 21 points in 2017-18. He's also a very physical player, so fantasy managers in deeper formats may want to add him for his hit totals alone. The injury history is concerning -- there's risk in expecting the 26-year-old to stay healthy throughout the year, and he's not guaranteed to see an everyday role.

Benning, 25, noticeably regressed in 2018-19. A year removed from collecting 21 points in 73 games and averaging 17:17 of ice time along the way, Benning recorded just five goals and 12 assists in 2018-19 while seeing his playing time fall to 14:57. With Edmonton's top four defenseman all under contract, it'll be tough for Benning to work his way out of a third-pairing role this upcoming season, which is a reality that obviously limits his fantasy value. However, Benning's age makes him an attractive pick in dynasty formats. Leave him alone come draft day but keep an eye on how things shake out on the back end for Alberta's northernmost team.

Naturally, Benning's offensive pace reached new heights as he earned an expanded role and garnered 17:17 of average ice time throughout his sophomore season. The hometown blueliner bested his rookie totals, posting 21 points, 149 hits and 82 blocked shots through 73 games. Edmonton rewarded the young skater with a two-year contract extension in July of 2018. For now, he is buried on the depth chart in Oil Country but the two-way player is worth monitoring in deep leagues amidst his maturing career.

Benning turned in a solid rookie year while serving as a third-pairing defender for Edmonton last season, tallying 15 points, a plus-8 rating and 111 hits across 62 contests. A modest offensive performer at Northeastern University before he made the jump directly to the NHL, the 2012 sixth-round pick doesn't possess much offensive upside, but he'll continue solidifying the back end of the Oilers’ blue line in 2017-18. Fantasy owners in formats that count hits and blocks may be the only one who get much utility out of him, though.