The Florida Panthers have recalled defenseman Mike Benning from the Checkers.
Benning, 24, has skated in all 56 games for Charlotte this season, scoring eight goals and adding 23 assists. The St. Albert, AB, native leads the Checkers in assists, ranking fifth on the team in points (31).
The right-handed defenseman is in his third pro season and has appeared in 182 AHL games, recording 89 points (26 goals, 63 assists). Benning has spent all his professional career in Charlotte; he has not yet made his NHL debut.
The Panthers selected Benning with the 95th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Before joining the Checkers, Benning spent three seasons at the University of Denver, winning a national championship with the Pioneers in 2021-22.
Sandis Vilmanis scored twice, including the game-winning goal in overtime, as the Charlotte Checkers (33-18-5-0) beat the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (24-25-3-3) by a score of 5-4 on Saturday night at PPL Center.
The Florida Panthers have assigned forward Sandis Vilmanis and defenseman Tobias Bjornfot to the Checkers. Forward Luke Kunin has been recalled to the Panthers.
Vilmanis, 22, joined the Panthers on January 10, appearing in 19 games with Florida, posting five points (three goals, two assists). In 31 games with the Checkers this season, Vilmanis has scored eight goals and added 11 assists. In addition to his NHL tenure, Vilmanis skated in four games at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan- Cortina, representing his home country of Latvia. Vilmanis was originally selected in the fifth round (157th overall) in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by the Panthers.
Bjornfot, 24, was recalled to Florida on January 4, logging 11 games and recording three points (two goals, one assist). The Upplands Vasby, SWE, native has seven points (one goal, six assists) in 22 games this year with Charlotte. January’s transaction marked the second time Florida has called up Bjornfot this season (October 13).
Kunin, 28, made his Checkers debut on Friday night in Lehigh Valley, notching two assists in Charlotte’s 5-3 win over the Phantoms. The Chesterfield, MO, native has appeared in 44 games with the Panthers this season, scoring two goals and adding two assists, along with 23 penalty minutes. In his NHL career, Kunin has played 478 contests with the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Panthers, accumulating 146 points (75 goals, 71 assists) and 410 penalty minutes.
