Giants’ Benson aims to stay healthy, hopes to make world-junior team
Oilers’ draft pick played for Pursuit of Excellence
VANCOUVER — Tyler Benson does not have much trouble producing points, but staying healthy is a different story.
The Vancouver Giants’ captain is getting his game back on track after missing most of the past two Western Hockey League seasons due to health woes. So far, so good. In his past four games, Benson has two goals and six assists — averaging two points per outing. He now has 12 points in eight games played, but offensive production is not his priority right now.
“I just want to get back to my game,” said Benson, a 19-year-old Edmonton native. “It’s been a while since I’ve played, so I just want to be able to play a full season this year and just help my team be a playoff hockey team. That’s what’s most important this year.”
Benson missed training camp, the pre-season and early regular season after undergoing two sports hernia surgeries — in April and July, respectively.
“I had the first one (operation) on the left side and I came back and started skating again, and the right side just felt off, so I needed (surgery) done on the right side as well,” said Benson.
The second procedure was completed after Benson — chosen in the second round (32nd overall) by the Oilers in 2016 — attended an Edmonton prospects camp. During the past two years, he has undergone surgery to remove a cyst on his spine and dealt with pubic-bone, shoulder and other groin problems that limited him to 33 games last season and 30 in 2015-16.
Benson was still named to the WHL team’s roster for the recent Canada-Russia series, but opted not to play in the high-calibre international competition.
“It was a lot of hockey in a short amount of time and I, maybe, just wasn’t ready for that much of a faster pace,” said Benson.
But he still hopes to get an invitation to try out for Canada’s world-junior team.
“(Playing in the world-junior tournament) is something I’ve wanted for a long time, so if I get the opportunity, it’ll be good,” he said.
Benson, who signed a three-year entrylevel contract with the Oilers last December, also hopes to join Connor McDavid and company in Edmonton’s lineup within the next two years.
“It’d be a dream come true,” said Benson. “I grew up watching the Oilers. It’s a team I’ve always watched. Seeing the talent they have now, it’d be special to be with them.”
The immediate goal, though, is to help the Giants reach the postseason for the first time in four seasons. Heading into tonight’s road contest against the Kamloops Blazers, the Giants (9-8-4) have posted three straight wins and solidified their grip on third place in the B.C. Division behind the second-place Kelowna Rockets and top-ranked Victoria Royals. “We’re a better team with Tyler Benson, no doubt, so we definitely are happy to have him back,” said Giants coach Jason McKee.
The coach added Benson will still need time to back get up to full speed, but is showing signs of improvement every day. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 202 pounds, Benson is a “heavy body” who plays in all situations and makes the Giants “harder to play against.”
“He’s got tremendous vision, tremendous instincts,” said McKee. “He’s a player that we’d like to see use his shot a little bit more, but you can see him even trying to do that a little bit more this year than in the past.”
Benson also wants to improve his skating and is working hard on staying healthy under the guidance of Giants strength and conditioning coach Aaron Klatt.
About two weeks ago, McKee said, Benson was among several players who came down with the flu and colds. But he battled through sickness in a game, also against Kamloops, and has displayed no ill effects since then.
“Hopefully, things keep going in the right direction here for him,” McKee said of Benson, who previously play one season with Winfield-based Pursuit of Excellence.