D-CAMP NOTEBOOK: Kinnunen gearing up; Benning's big year

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla - The last few months have been pretty crazy for Santtu Kinnunen.
Less than a week after helping lead Tappara Tampere to a Liiga championship back home in his native Finland on April 28, the 23-year-old defenseman realized a lifelong dream when he was able to put pen to paper on a two-year, entry-level contract with the Panthers on May 2.
"It was pretty nice," Kinnunen said. "I had a good year, and the team had a good season. It helped me to play better. It feels amazing to get a contract. Now the work can get started."

Taken by the Panthers in the seventh round (207th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, Kinnunen has already been sinking his teeth into the pro game overseas. He debuted in Liiga during the 2018-19 season with Lahti, and has spent each of the last two campaigns manning the blue line for Tampere.
In 54 games with Tappara -- which is partially owned by Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov -- this past season, Kinnunen led the team's defensemen with 23 points (four goals, 19 assists). In the postseason, he added two assists over 13 games during Tampere's run to the championship.
"It was amazing," Kinnunen said. "Tappara is a big hockey city in Finland. It has two teams, so it's a rivalry over there. We won and it was amazing. Every person was downtown partying."
But after 164 career games in Liiga, his sights are now set on making it to the NHL.
With a good chance to start the upcoming season with Florida's AHL affiliate in Charlotte, Kinnunen said he knows adjusting to the style of play in North America won't be easy. The rinks are smaller, the opposing players are bigger, and the grind of a 70-plus game schedule can be grueling.
Standing 6-foot-2 and 161 pounds, he also plans to bulk up a bit.
"It's a different game here," Kinnunen said. "I just need to adjust for the game. For all of the small things, I need to work them out and get a little strength so I can knock some guys over."
As for this week's development camp, Kinnunen is soaking up everything he can during each on-ice session as he aims to make a good first impression before rookie camp opens in the fall.
Still getting used to South Florida, he's also soaking in a whole lot of sun.
"This is too hot for me now, but it's fun," Kinnunen chuckled.
BENNING'S BIG YEAR
Kinnunen isn't the only defenseman at camp coming off a championship win.
Selected by the Panthers in the fourth round (95th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft, Mike Benning still can't stop smiling after helping lead Denver to its record-tying ninth NCAA tile back in April.
Named the "Most Outstanding Player" in the Frozen Four, the 20-year-old scored the game-winning goal in the NCAA Championship Game, a convincing 5-1 win over Minnesota State.
"It's just another milestone really," Benning said. "It's trying to improve and getting to the next level. The game-winning goal in the championship is just kind of the icing on top. It takes a good group of guys to get there. It's a great accomplishment and will stick with me for the rest of my life."
Leading Denver's defensemen in goals (15) and points (38) in 2021-22, Benning, the son of former Panther D-man Brian Benning (1993-95), has racked up 49 points (18 goals, 31 assists), 122 shots on goal and 49 blocked shots in 62 games over his first two seasons with the Pioneers.
Hoping to run it back, he'll be returning to the Mile High City for his junior season in 2022-23.
"For me individually, I just need to get stronger," said Benning, who measures up at 5-foot-9 and 176 pounds. "I'm a smaller guy, so strength doesn't hurt. Get faster and just have that mindset of trying to get to the next level."
Due to COVID-19, this week's camp is his first in South Florida since being drafted.
"Everyone's smiling out there, just trying to get better," Benning said. "A lot of support from the coaching staff. It's a learning experience. I'm just trying to showcase myself. … It's good to meet everyone, meet the staff. It's a great bunch of guys. It's exciting and it's fun. It's a great experience."
When asked if he sees any similarities between his own approach to playing defense compared to that of his father, Benning cracked a smile. While he certainly doesn't shy away from physical play, he knows it's unlikely he'll ever amass the 963 penalty minutes his father did over his 10 NHL seasons.
"It's cool," Benning said of following in his father's footsteps. "I've got some of his vintage stuff. I've got an old shirt, old shorts. It's always cool to have that generation to generation thing. It's neat. … I think that we're both offensive minded, but I think he's a bit more of a bully. He was always getting suspended and stuff. I keep it in check there, for the most part."
Overall, the most valuable advice he got from his father wasn't about on-ice execution.
"It's all in your head," Benning said. "It's 70% mental, 30% physical."
With an attitude like that and another strong season in the books, he's certainly on the right path to success.