#2. Beau Bennett
Speaking of players who haven’t lived up to their draft position, the former 20th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft was a “bust.”
Bennett had a ton of praise heading into his draft year, scoring 120 points, which included 41 goals in the BCHL. After playing two years in the NCAA with the University of Denver, Bennett decided to leave school early to become a professional hockey player. That was probably the worst decision he could have made, as he clearly wasn’t ready to make the leap.
The 28-year-old hasn’t been able to provide any stability at the NHL-level yet. With 24 goals and 64 points in 200 NHL games played, that’s not the type of production expected from a former first-round pick. However, his AHL stats have been pretty remarkable.
In his last 115 AHL games played, he has 95 points. The AHL isn’t a joke of a league so that point-total should be celebrated. Although Bennett hasn’t played an NHL game since the 2017-18 season, he would be a valuable piece to the organization.
With a wealth of NHL experience, he’s the type of player that can provide depth to this Toronto Maple Leafs team. The schedule will most likely be condensed and with injuries always happening, Bennett could be a solid call-up, as he’d most likely start with the Marlies.