Sep 21, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing
Beau Bennett(19) against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. The Penguins won 1-0 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Beau Bennett
Bennett is a highly skilled forward with silky hands and a great wrist shot. He’s a solid skater and has a high hockey IQ. But, he’s also extremely injury prone and has yet to find a consistent home within the Pens’ lineup.
That may change this season. Bennett packed on an extra few pounds of muscle this summer and looks noticeably bigger. He’ll likely start the season at third line right-wing with Nick Bonino, which means a more consistent center than he has had in years past in Pittsburgh’s bottom-six. The two of them are both fairly creative on the offensive side of the puck so it could be a fun duo to watch.
That being said, Bennett doesn’t necessarily have a place in Pittsburgh’s top-six. At least, not in the foreseeable future. Next season could be a different story for him but what if he starts strong and then regresses? The fact is, if Bennett’s able to start strong and show some consistency over the first few months of the season, his stock will be higher than ever on the trade market.
At 23-years old, Bennett is still fairly young and could fit well with a team looking to be competitive over the next two seasons. Moving him is completely reliant on his ability to stay healthy and play with some consistency but if he does, he’s probably more of an asset on the trade market than he is in the lineup for Pittsburgh.
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