Life-changing news for Maple Leafs' Simon Benoit as he and his partner welcome their first child

As Toronto's first group of players took to the ice for the first practice of training camp, Leafs PR announced on X that Benoit and his partner were expecting their first child.

Fantastic news for Benoit as he celebrates his 26th birthday while he and his partner officially welcome their first child into the world.

Benoit, who spent last season playing 64 NHL games with Toronto, is starting his second season with the Maple Leafs. With an average of 17:14 minutes of ice time per year, the 26-year-old recorded one goal and four assists.

After signing a one-year contract worth $775,000 last summer, the defenseman made such an impression that on March 29, he was awarded a three-year contract worth $4.05 million. The average yearly value of his contract is $1.35 million.

Throughout his career, Benoit has played in 201 NHL games, split between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Anaheim Ducks. He has 15 assists and five goals. Last season, his strong play and love of milk made him a fan favorite.

The Quebec native is now missing practice for one of the most significant and thrilling events in a person's life. We hope that Benoit, his partner, and the child are all well and content because he now has even more incentive to have the best season he can have in 2024-2025-both on and off the ice.