Beau Bennett
Beau Daniel Bennett (born 27 November 1991 Gardena, California) is an American professional ice hockey player who is since April 2012 with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League contract. He was selected by the Penguins in the NHL Entry Draft 2010 to 20th position and is the highest they drafted Californian in the history of the NHL.
Career
Youth
Beau Bennett grew up in Gardena on the state of California since the age of four and played the popular in this region roller hockey. With the hockey games he started at the age of eight years in Los Angeles just a few kilometers away. Finally, where he played with the Los Angeles Junior Kings, a youth organization of the NHL franchises Los Angeles Kings, and visited at the same time, the Valley Christian High School. In 2009, Bennett moved to Penticton Vees to the Pentincton, where he also had offers from the Calgary Hitmen and the Tri -City Storm. He decided against the " major junior" level that the stars and the Hitmen in the WHL or USHL had represented, and for the one step below "Junior A" level on which it henceforth with the Vees played in the British Columbia Hockey League ( BCHL ).
Already in his first year with the Vees he reached 120 points scorer in 56 games topped the scorer statistics of the entire BCHL. Since he launched right into the rookie season with convincing performances, he was appointed in November 2009 World Junior A Challenge, in order to represent his home country. He was the first player in the history of the event, the team representing the USA and did not play in the domestic USHL. The United States won the Challenge by 2-1 sat down in the final against Team Canada West. A month later, Bennett participated in the event Prospects of the Canadian Junior Hockey League, an event for promising talents of the umbrella organization of all Canadian Junior A leagues, in part, and was elected there to the best strikers. After he took part in the BCHL All-Star Game in January 2010 and it was the end of season distinguished him as a Rookie of the Year in the Interior Conference its services the entire rookie season with the 32nd place on the Prospect ranking for the NHL Entry Draft appreciated 2010. During the actual draft he was even selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins to 20th position - so that Bennett is the highest they drafted Californian in NHL history.
Even prior to the Entry Drafts 2010 it was clear that the Bennett Pentincton Vees leave and fall of 2010 the University of Denver will visit. From his time with the Vees the nickname " Beau Dangles " comes ( in German about " Beau fakes ", " Beau feinted "; pun Bojangles' ).
College
At the University of Denver Bennett played for the Denver Pioneers in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, a college sports league in the Midwest. As a freshman, he had difficulties adjusting to the new team and the new league - only he remained six games without a point, then he fell in December from a knee injury for six weeks. In addition, the winger was at this stage because of its less pronounced physique and its relatively disembodied game, which was associated with its roller hockey past, criticized. His first season in Denver, he finished with 25 points from 37 games. In the following season, Bennett injured in October while training hard on the wrist, so that he underwent after a short period with additional inserts, in December 2011 an operation. Accordingly, he came a total of only ten times for the Pioneers for use as a sophomore, but was still in the All- WCHA Academic Team of the season 2011/12 selected. Despite the relatively low number of inserts Bennett signed in April 2012 a limited three-year entry level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins Bennett took part in the preparations for the 2012/13 season, was in the course of this, however, as expected, to the farm team, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, released into the AHL. After he was appointed after half a year and 28 points in 39 games in the AHL in February 2013 for the first time in the NHL squad, he completed on February 15, 2013 against the Winnipeg Jets made his debut in the National Hockey League. In addition, he was appointed in January to the AHL All-Star Classic. Bennett claimed, however, his place in the NHL squad and scored as less than a week later against the Tampa Bay Lightning his first NHL goal. In the remaining games of the regular season Bennett reach a total of three score and eleven templates. In the subsequent play-offs, in which he scored a goal in total, the Penguins failed only in the Conference Finals to the Boston Bruins.
The following season Bennett is an integral part of the NHL squad, however, met with a groin injury in November the team. After only five completed assignments to the winger in November 2013 violated again by the hand, again, an operation was necessary, and he is now likely eight to ten weeks fails. Bennett was announced that the wrist injury that was to college times surgery once before, in the course of 2012 again caused problems.
Awards and achievements
- 2009 Top Forward Prospects Game of the CJHL
- 2010 BCHL All-Star Game
- 2010 BCHL Rookie of the Year (Interior Conference)
- 2012 All - WCHA Academic Team
- 2013 AHL All- Star Classic
- 2009 World Junior A Challenge
Career Stats
As of the end of the 2012/13 season
( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )
Personal
Beau Bennett has three siblings. His eldest brother Wade also attended the University of Denver and played for the Pioneers. Beau himself says that he was only through Wade's influence for roller hockey and also finally come to Hockey in childhood.