Seattle Thunderbirds has claimed 20-year-old left wing\/center Erik Benoit off waivers from the Saskatoon Blades, General Manager Russ Farwell announced today.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Benoit played 64 games combined with the Kootenay Ice and Saskatoon Blades last season. He had 12 goals and 22 assists for 34 points with 19 penalty minutes. He was acquired by the Blades from the Ice at the 2012 trade deadline for a fourth round selection in the 2013 Bantam Draft.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“With the success Mitch Elliot has had at the Vancouver Canucks training camp and now that he is being sent to Utica of the American League for their Camp that left us with only two 20 year olds,” Farwell said. “Benoit is an experienced player in the league that has had some offensive success and his addition was a good fit for us at this time to allow us to start the year with three 20-year-old players.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Benoit has played 183 career games over three seasons in the WHL and has 30 goals and 45 assists for 75 points with 76 penalty minutes.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The three 20-year-olds on the T-Birds roster are Benoit, right wing Seth Swenson and defenseman Jesse Forsberg.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The T-Birds will drop the puck for the regular season against the Portland Winterhawks at ShoWare Center on Saturday. Face-off is 7:05 p.m.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n