Beau Bennett

Beau Bennett
Born	(1991-11-27) November 27, 1991 Gardena, CA, USA
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Forward
Shoots	Right
NHL team	Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL Draft	20th overall, 2010 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	2010–present

Beau Daniel Bennett (born November 27, 1991) is an American ice hockey forward who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. Bennett attended the University of Denver until 2012.^[1] He graduated from Valley Christian High School in Cerritos, California. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (20th overall).^[2] He is the highest-drafted California born-and-trained player in NHL history.^[3] He has the ability to carry the puck up ice, run the powerplay from the half-boards, play the point, and possesses a hard and accurate repertoire of shots. He is also quite adept at creating open ice.^[4]

Junior career

Beau committed in June 2009 to play for Penticton's British Columbia Hockey League team, the Penticton Vees. He chose Penticton over the WHL's Calgary Hitmen and the USHL's Tri-City Storm, owning his major jr. and USHL playing rights respectively. While only a rookie, Beau was placed on the top forward line alongside team captain, Denver Manderson (center) and Alex Szczechura (left wing).

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, Beau returned to Penticton to record ten goals and ten assists in nine games. In December, he was named top forward at the CJHL prospects games in Winkler, Manitoba. In January, Beau played in the BCHL All-Star Game.^[5]

Near the end of the season, due to injury to the top line's center, Manderson, Bennett was switched to center, a position he had never played. He flourished in the position, and in the final regular season game, scored four points to tie Mark Zengerle for the league scoring title. (With 120 points each, Bennett had 41 goals and 79 assists, Zengerle had 33 goals and 87 assists.)^[6][7]

In the Interior Conference Finals, the Vees faced elimination by the Vernon Vipers. The Vipers hosted Game Five, which went into triple overtime. After helping force a 2-2 tie by contributing a goal, Bennett set up the play that gave the Vees another chance. After receiving a pass, he beat defenders and approached the right side of the net, pursued by captain Manderson as well as Vernon defense. Pretending to attempt a wraparound goal, he used a skillful backhand pass through his skates to Manderson that Vernon goalie, Graeme Gordon, didn't see. 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 snap the perfectly placed puck between the pipes. The Vees went on to be defeated in Game 6.

Despite the less than perfect end to his season, Bennett was named the BCHL's Rookie of the Year, as well as received the Penticton Vees' Leading Scorer Award and the Rookie of the Year Award.^[8]

University of Denver

Freshman Year (2010-2011)

In his Freshman year, Bennett played 37 games and tallied 25 points on nine goals and 16 assists and added one power-play goal and one game-winning goal in a 3-2 win against Alaska–Anchorage. 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. Bennett added 98 hits and 15 blocked shots. He missed five games from December 4 through January 1 with a right knee injury. Bennett committed nine penalties for 18 PIMs.

Sophomore Year (2011-2012)

In his Sophomore year, Bennett played 10 games and recorded 13 points on four goals and nine 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 (2g, 3a) in a four-game point streak from November 12–25. On December 8, 2011, Bennett had surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his wrist.^[9] The injury forced him to miss the final 29 games of the season. He committed seven penalties for 25 PIMs. He was named to the All-WCHA Academic Team.

On April 13, 2012 Bennett signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Penguins.^[10] Bennett finished his DU career with 38 points on 13 goals and 25 assists in 47 games.

NHL career

Pittsburgh Penguins (2013-Present)

On February 14, 2013, Bennett was called up to the NHL from Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Bennett played in his first career NHL game against the Winnipeg Jets on February 15, 2013. On February 24, 2013, he scored his first career goal, a power play goal, 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 career playoff game against New York Islanders goaltender Evgeni Nabokov on May 1, 2013. During the 2013-14 season, Bennett's season was interrupted due to a broken wrist he suffered playing against the Islanders on Nov 22, 2013 in Pittsburgh.^[11] He had surgery the following week and is expected to miss 8-10 weeks.^[12]

Awards

• 2009-10 Rookie Of The Year, BCHL
• 2009-10 Brett Hull Trophy (Top Scorer), BCHL

Career statistics

References

External links

• Beau Bennett's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Beau Bennett's career statistics at EliteProspects.com
• Beau Bennett's player profile at NHL.com
• Beau Bennett Fansite
• Beau Bennett Denver Pioneers Bio
• Beau Bennett: College Career Statistics
• Bennett Preparing for Transition to Pros