Jefferson Hagen / MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – As Ryan Benn prepares for the final home regular season game of his Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference career this Saturday, he can't help but shake his head at how unlikely the journey has been.
After making the Griffins in 2013 as a walk-on out of Junior B, he will leave as the program's all-time leading scorer five years later.
"It's kind of crazy to think about just walking on," said the product of the Spruce Grove Regals who has recorded 54 goals and 129 points in 138 career ACAC regular season games heading into the final two of them in his career (vs. Briercrest on Friday, 7 p.m., and Saturday, 1 p.m., Downtown Community Arena).
He also has 10 goals and 15 points in 14 career ACAC playoff games.
"I was just hoping to make the team so I could play competitive hockey again," he continued. "I was lucky enough to find the first coach ever (former Griffins bench boss Bram Stephen) who gave me a real opportunity to play quality minutes with quality players. I just took that opportunity and made the most of it, especially that first year. I just continued to build on it year after year from there on."
The further back story of Benn's triumph-over-adversity tale includes two seasons with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's Kindersley Klippers where all he could get was limited minutes in a pigeon-holed role as a low line energy guy.
His tale is the triumph of the underestimated underdog. Benn will leave the MacEwan Griffins as one of the most memorable and important players the program has ever had.
"I'm not sure there's a player throughout the history of the program that is as well decorated, respected or has given as much as Ryan Benn has to the MacEwan athletic program," said MacEwan interim head coach Michael Ringrose. "He is the captain of our team, he is the all-time leading scorer for the program, but most importantly, he's an unbelievable leader and understands how important it is to treat people the right way.
"It's certainly an example for any student-athlete at MacEwan right now and moving forward."
For two seasons, Benn has worn the 'C' and a year ago led the Griffins to the program's first ACAC Championship in 13 years. His leadership, though, has gone beyond just on-ice duties.
"Honestly, the proudest I am is how well rounded we are academically and the culture around how tight our group is," he said. "Every player that comes to this team is usually in shock with how tight we are. I think that honestly was probably the number one reason we ended up winning last year was just how close the group was.
"Every year at the (Athletics) banquet to be in the running for team of the year based on our academics and our involvement in the community and performance I think is the biggest thing."
That may be his enduring legacy – the program is far better off having known him.
"I think what people need to understand is he cares so much about every aspect of the program, whether it's our performance in the classroom, whether it's our contributions to the community at large, whether it's our performance on the ice," said Ringrose. "Regardless of what it is, Ryan Benn understands how important the whole package is and is consistently working to push the program to bigger and better things in all of those areas."
When he graduates from MacEwan in the fall with a Bachelor of Communications Studies, majoring in Professional Communication, Benn will take those leadership skills into the real world. Metis in heritage, he has a passion for working in Indigenous Communications, and aims to help his home community of Stony Plain.
Benn also has no plans to hang up his skates. He plans to join the Stony Plain Senior AAA Eagles next season.
"It's good hockey and it's five minutes from my house," he said. "I have a few friends and my soon-to-be brother in law plays on the team as well."
But first, there is the business at hand. MacEwan is in the driver's seat for the ACAC's No. 2 seed and the first-round playoff bye that would come with it. Win both games against Briercrest this weekend and it shall be theirs.
"For us, we're not looking past this weekend," said Ringrose. "Friday night is our only focus and we have a job to take care of. Then we'll refocus for Saturday quickly.
"The conversation and what happens after that is not entering our mind space right now. We're completely focused on what we need to do. I commend the guys for their mature approach to the week so far."
ICE CHIPS … Saturday's game is Senior Day where Benn will be feted alongside fellow fifth-year graduate Christopher Wray and second-year grad Taylor Mulder … Wray will leave the program with the most career regular season wins by a Griffins goaltender (46) and he holds MacEwan's single season record for most wins (15 in 2014-15) … Wray's leadership off the ice has included serving at the MacEwan Student Athlete Council President. "(Chris Wray) is another example of someone who has gone above and beyond to make sure they leave the program in a better spot than they received it," said Ringrose … Mulder has only been with the Griffins for two seasons, but he is set to graduate from his Police and Investigations program and won't be returning to the team … The burly forward has contributed six goals and 13 points in 44 regular season games for the Griffins … His most memorable goal, though, might be before his rookie ACAC season even began. During a September 2016 test game between MacEwan and Portage in Rogers Place, he scored the first goal in the history of the Edmonton Oilers' new arena.
