When the Leafs signed ex-Ducks defenseman to a 1-year deal in August just a few weeks before training camp, I don't think anyone was anticipating what type of meteoric rise he'd have and how much he'd be adored by Leaf fans for his simple game and physical brand of hockey.
Benoit began his tenure with the Leafs as arguably the 8th defenseman on the team, but he has since rocketed up the depth chart due to his responsible two-way play and has since been playing top-4 minutes in Toronto, much to the delight of Sheldon Keefe, the coaching staff, and the rabid fanbase.
Recently, Benoit had a chance to sit down with former NHLer Luke Gazdic on his podcast to discuss a wide range of topics. During the session, Benoit revealed one of his nicknames and boy, oh boy, is it ever appropriate. Benoit admitted to being called "The Milk Man", which is quite fitting, given the fact that the Leafs are sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, and display a "Milk" badge on their jerseys. Where did he get the nickname? Benoit admitted that he drinks a giant glass of 3.8% whole milk before bed every single night.
Honestly, I know it's a very simple concept, but I think that nickname is absolute fire. Yes, his teammates still call him "Benny" and I'm sure he has other nicknames as well, but I've always been a fan of nicknames that aren't just a variant of a player's last name.
