Beau Bennett's Bad Breaks

Poor Beau Bennett.  The Penguins ultimate x-factor never gets a chance to show off his ability.  Seemingly always injured, the flashes of brilliance never go beyond that.  He's been labeled as injury prone but the truth lies in just plain bad luck.

The injury issues began to effect him back in his college days at the University of Denver with a mild knee sprain in 2010.  Missing a few weeks, at most, it was just a standard bump and bruise that follows with any hockey season.  If you've played at any level of hockey you've likely had something similar.

Beau Bennett's wrist cut by skate

Unfortunately, not a year later, is when the true bad luck began.  During practice, in 2011, Beau was cut in the wrist by a skate.  Seemingly innocent enough, it lacerated a tendon in his wrist and caused him to lose the strength in his right hand.

According to Bennett, this injury is one that will never fully heal.  In 2013 he told 93.7 The Fan's Starkey and Mueller:

The wrist thing, it was unfortunate. I fell on a players skate in practice and sliced my tendon.  It’ll never be back to where it was, so I’m just going to keep moving forward and try to make the best of it.

Surgery to correct his injured wrist caused Bennett to miss 29 games in his sophomore season at Denver.

From there Beau made his way to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.  He remained healthy his entire time there and put up impressive numbers, earning a call up early in his tenure.  And then the injury bug returned.

Early into 2013 Bennett played in a mundane game against the New York Islanders.  He wouldn't play for several more months.  His wrist was broken.  His right wrist.  It needed surgery.  It came at a time when Bennett was truly needed, offensive depth depleted.  It was his time to shine, the moment he anticipated.  And he wouldn't get that chance for several more months.

Bennett returned from his surgery and showed flashes of offensive talent and ability.  His hockey sense was there, his mind was sharp, his body was coming along.  All seemed well for Bennett heading into the off season.

During the off season he had a minor procedure to correct a wrist that never really healed.  Bennett played that well on a wrist that was still not at 100%?  Penguins fans seemed excited for the prospect of what was to come with Bennett.

His May surgery had him on track to return to training camp.  In camp he was cited as being one of the best players on ice during drills and scrimmages, impressing new head coach Mike Johnston.  His hunger was evident and desire was obvious.  He wanted to make his mark.  And then his luck turned. Again.

A bad turn into the boards on questionable ice saw Bennett crumble.  What was feared to be a season ender turned out to be much less minor.  A knee injury, unrelated to his injury in college, unrelated to his wrist injury, unrelated to his surgery.

Beau Bennett has gotten the label of "injury prone."  It's unfair to Beau Bennett.  Bennett's injuries are much like that of Sidney Crosby's: freak in nature, various in number.  Bad luck has to eventually turn.  With Bennett in a conditioning stint with the Baby Pens he's on his way back to the line up.  And he hopes his luck has finally turned.

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