Suddenly-hot Giants get another boost in return of Oilers’ draft pick Benson

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Giants, coming off a successful Prairie road swing, got more good news Monday when they heard captain Tyler Benson will be returning to the team.

The NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, who drafted Benson 32nd overall in the 2016 NHL draft, returned the 19-year-old left-winger to the WHL’s Giants.

Benson will take to the ice at Giants’ practice in Ladner today, and there’s no schedule yet for his return to game action. The Giants next game is Friday when they host the Prince George Cougars, and then they head to Victoria for games Saturday and Sunday against the Royals.

Benson has been plagued by injuries the last couple of seasons, but when healthy has stood out. He put up 11 goals and 31 assists for 42 points in 33 games before being sidelined for the season in early January. This offseason, Benson underwent sports hernia surgery and then spent his recovery being supervised by Oilers staff.

The Edmonton native, selected first overall by the Giants in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, has scored 34 goals and 81 assists for 115 points in 132 career WHL games. He was named captain of the Giants in September 2015.

The Giants went 3-2-1-1 (earning eight of a possible 14 points) on their season-long seven-game road trip through the Prairies, and are tied for second place in the B.C. Division with a 5-5-1-1 record.