{{short description|Canadian ice hockey player (born 1998)}} {{Infobox ice hockey player | name = Tyler Benson | image = Tyler Benson (cropped).jpg | caption = Benson with the Bakersfield Condors in 2020 | image_size = 230px | team = EC Kassel Huskies | league = DEL2 | prospect_team = | prospect_league = | former_teams = Edmonton Oilers<br>MoDo Hockey | position = Left wing | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 11 | weight_lb = 180 | shoots = Left | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|03|15}} | birth_place = Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | career_start = 2018 | career_end = | draft = 32nd overall | draft_year = 2016 | draft_team = Edmonton Oilers }} '''Tyler Benson''' (born March 15, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently under contract with EC Kassel Huskies in the DEL2. He previously played with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL).
==Playing career== Benson was born and raised in Edmonton, and played minor hockey at the South Side Athletic Club (SSAC), including overlapping seasons on the SSAC Lions of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League (AMBHL) with future Edmonton Oilers teammates Stuart Skinner (two SSAC seasons) and James Hamblin (one SSAC season).<ref name=SSAC>{{cite web |title=The South Siders |first=Liam |last=Horrobin |date=2022-11-29 |website=oilersnation.com |url=https://oilersnation.com/news/three-edmonton-oilers-from-south-side-athletics-club |access-date=2023-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202121936/https://oilersnation.com/news/three-edmonton-oilers-from-south-side-athletics-club |archive-date=2023-02-02 |url-status=live}}</ref> During the 2012–13 season he established a new scoring record with 146 points in 33 games, surpassing the previous AMBHL mark of 131 points held by Ty Rattie.<ref name=SSAC/> In addition to being the league's top scorer, he was also named the AMBHL North's Most Valuable Player for the 2012–13 season.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://westernelitehockeyprospects.com/news-by-region/alberta/ambhl-final-edmonton-ssac-vs-calgary-northstar-sabres.html |title=AMBHL Final – Edmonton SSAC vs. Calgary Northstar Sabres {{!}} Western Elite Hockey Prospects<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2013-11-18 |archive-date=2020-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206183111/http://westernelitehockeyprospects.com/news-by-region/alberta/ambhl-final-edmonton-ssac-vs-calgary-northstar-sabres.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Benson was selected first overall by the Vancouver Giants in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Tyler+Benson+Underage+under+pressure+Giants+debut/9168014/story.html |title=Tyler Benson: Underage and under pressure in Giants debut<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2013-11-18 |archive-date=2013-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131123062526/http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Tyler%20Benson%20Underage%20under%20pressure%20Giants%20debut/9168014/story.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> He made his WHL debut, as an underaged player, on November 16, 2013,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Tyler+Benson+makes+debut+Giants+against+City+Americans/9176280/story.html |title=Tyler Benson makes debut for Giants against the Tri-City Americans, G-Men win 5-2<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2013-11-18 |archive-date=2013-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131123202719/http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Tyler+Benson+makes+debut+Giants+against+City+Americans/9176280/story.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> starting a WHL career that ran from 2013 to 2018.
Benson was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, 32nd overall, and signed an entry-level contract on December 30, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/oilers-sign-forward-tyler-benson-entry-level-contract/ |title=Oilers sign forward Tyler Benson to entry-level contract |publisher=Sportsnet.ca |date=December 30, 2016 |accessdate=February 6, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Robert Tychkowski |url=https://edmontonsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/edmonton-oilers/tyler-benson-finding-his-stride-focusing-on-oilers-roster-spot |title=Tyler Benson finding his stride, focusing on Oilers roster spot |newspaper=Edmonton Sun |date=September 7, 2019 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref> He turned pro in the 2018–19 season, playing with the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/tyler-benson-ready-for-spotlight-in-edmonton/c-281140470 |title=Oilers' Tyler Benson accustomed to spotlight |website=NHL.com |date=January 16, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Matheson |author-link=Jim Matheson |url=https://edmontonsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/edmonton-oilers/oilers-tyler-benson-went-from-suspect-to-top-prospect-in-one-year-of-pro-hockey |title=Oilers' Tyler Benson went from suspect to top prospect in one year of pro hockey |newspaper=Edmonton Sun |date=April 16, 2019 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref> Benson was named to the AHL All-Rookie and Second All-Star teams in the 2018–19 season, and played in the 2019–20 season All-Star game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/stats/player/7115 |title=The American Hockey League |publisher=TheAHL.com |date=2019-09-03 |access-date=2020-02-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/all-star-all-content-from-the-2020-nhl-all-star-weekend/c-314229750 |title=ALL-STAR: All content from the 2020 NHL All-Star Weekend |website=NHL.com |date=2020-01-01 |access-date=2020-02-06}}</ref>
As a free agent from the Oilers following the {{nhly|2022}} season, Benson was unable to attract NHL interest. On July 10, 2023, he was signed to a one-year AHL contract with the Henderson Silver Knights, the primary affiliate to the Vegas Golden Knights.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hendersonsilverknights.com/silver-knights-sign-forward-tyler-benson/ |title=Knights sign forward Tyler Benson |publisher=Henderson Silver Knights |date=July 10, 2023 |access-date=July 10, 2023}}</ref>
Leading into the 2024–25 season, Benson remained an un-signed free agent before opting to sign a one-year deal with Swedish club, MoDo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League SHL, on November 8, 2024.<ref>{{citeweb| url = https://www.modohockey.se/article/gryasmm-4ij6i1/view | title = Welcome to MoDo, Tyler Benson! | publisher = MoDo Hockey | date = November 8, 2024 | accessdate = November 8, 2024 | language = Swedish }}</ref> Through 31 regular season appearances, Benson went scoreless in the SHL, and was unable to help prevent MoDo from relegation to the second tier HockeyAllsvenskan.
Leaving Sweden as a free agent, Benson was signed to a one-year contract with EC Kassel Huskies of the DEL2 on May 31, 2025.<ref>{{citeweb| url = https://www.kassel-huskies.de/news/detail/benson-verpflichtung | title = Tyler Benson joins the Kassel Huskies | publisher = EC Kassel Huskies | date = May 31, 2025 | accessdate = May 31, 2025 | language = German }}</ref>
==Career statistics== <!-- PLEASE DO NOT UPDATE STATISTICS MID-SEASON, AS IT CREATES MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT SOLVES, AND WIKIPEDIA'S PURPOSE IS NOT TO PROVIDE UP-TO-THE-MINUTE STATISTICS. PLEASE SAVE THE UPDATING OF STATISTICS UNTIL THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON AND/OR PLAYOFFS. UPDATED STATISTICS WILL BE REVERTED. -->
===Regular season and playoffs=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" | Regular season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" | Playoffs |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM |- | 2011–12 | SSAC Lions Bantam | AMBHL | 33 || 34 || 50 || 84 || 44 | 11 || 12 || 19 || 31 || 4 |- style="background:#f0f0f0;" | 2012–13 | SSAC Lions Bantam | AMBHL | 33 || 57 || 89 || 146 || 52 | 11 || 15 || 22 || 37 || 16 |- | 2013–14 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 7 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | — || — || — || — || — |- style="background:#f0f0f0;" | 2014–15 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 62 || 14 || 31 || 45 || 55 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 2015–16 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 30|| 9 || 19 || 28 || 46 | — || — || — || — || — |- style="background:#f0f0f0;" | 2016–17 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 33 || 11 || 31 || 42 || 31 | — || — || — || — || — |- |2017–18 |Vancouver Giants | WHL | 58 || 27 || 42 || 69 || 39 | 7 || 3 || 8 || 11 || 10 |- style="background:#f0f0f0;" | 2017–18 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 5 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 0 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 2018–19 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 68 || 15 || 51 || 66 || 44 | 10 || 1 || 6 || 7 || 10 |- style="background:#f0f0f0;" | 2019–20 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 47 || 9 || 27 || 36 || 34 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 2019–20 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 7 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 | — || — || — || — || — |- style="background:#f0f0f0;" | 2020–21 | GCK Lions | SL | 15 || 2 || 17 || 19 || 20 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 2020–21 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 36 || 10 || 26 || 36 || 30 | 6 || 3 || 2 || 5 || 4 |- style="background:#f0f0f0;" | 2021–22 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 29 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 18 | —|| —|| —|| —|| — |- | 2021–22 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 18 || 4 || 8 || 12 || 8 | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- style="background:#f0f0f0;" | 2022–23 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 43 || 5 || 18 || 23 || 29 | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- | 2022–23 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | — || — || — || — || — |- style="background:#f0f0f0;" | 2023–24 | Henderson Silver Knights | AHL | 52 || 5 || 20 || 25 || 12 | —|| —|| —|| —|| — |- | 2024–25 | MoDo Hockey | SHL | 31 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 25 | — || — || — || — || — |- style="background:#e0e0e0;" ! colspan="3" | NHL totals ! 38 !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 18 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! — |- style="background:#e0e0e0;" ! colspan="3" | SHL totals ! 31 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 25 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! — |}
===International=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em" |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM |- | 2014 | Canada Pacific | U17 | {{silver2}} | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2014 | Canada Black | U17 | 7th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |- ALIGN="centre" | 2015 | Canada | U18 | {{bronze3}} | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2015 | Canada | IH18 | {{gold1}} | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="4" | Junior totals ! 7 ! 1 ! 3 ! 4 ! 8 |}
==Awards and honours== {| class="wikitable" ! Award ! Year ! |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" |AMBHL |- | Rookie of the Year | 2011–12 | |- | Most Valuable Player | 2012–13 | <ref>[http://www.ambhl.ab.ca/awards-mvp.php Alberta Bantam AAA<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" |WHL |- | WHL Bantam Draft First Overall Selection | 2013 | <ref>[http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2013/05/02/2013-whl-bantam-draft-tracker/ 2013 WHL bantam draft tracker | Edmonton Journal<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |- | CHL Top Prospects Game | 2016 | |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" |AHL |- | All-Rookie Team | 2019 | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/2018-19-american-hockey-league-all-rookie-team-named/n-5469593 |title=2018-19 American Hockey League All-Rookie Team Named |publisher=OurSports Central |date=April 10, 2019}}</ref> |- | Second all-star team | 2019 | |- | All-Star Game | 2020 | |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Icehockeystats}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benson, Tyler}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:Bakersfield Condors players Category:Canadian ice hockey left wingers Category:Edmonton Oilers draft picks Category:Edmonton Oilers players Category:GCK Lions players Category:Henderson Silver Knights players Category:Ice hockey people from Edmonton Category:Modo Hockey players Category:Vancouver Giants players Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen