Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the signing of forward Evan Benwell for the 2025-26 season. The Thunderbolts will raise their President’s Cup Championship banner prior to their 2025-26 home opener at Ford Center on Saturday, October 25th against the Quad City Storm.
Benwell joins the Thunderbolts following four seasons of Canadian college hockey at Wilfrid Laurier University between 2021-2025, where he scored 13 goals and 40 points in 91 regular season games. Prior to college, Benwell played junior hockey in the OJHL for two seasons, first with his hometown Toronto Patriots, before joining the Burlington Cougars early in the 2018-19 season, where he played almost a full season alongside Thunderbolts captain Matthew Hobbs. In two seasons of OJHL play, Benwell scored 32 goals and 74 points in 101 regular season games, including 17 goals and 35 points in 37 games playing with Hobbs at Burlington. In 2019-20, Benwell played in Western Canada, starting with brief stints with the SJHL’s Notre Dame Hounds and the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, before playing the majority of the season with the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials, scoring 9 goals and 18 points in 28 games before the season ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Benwell finished his junior career in the Canadian Maritimes with the Fredericton Red Wings of the MJAHL in 2020-21, scoring 9 goals and 17 points in 16 regular season games and adding a goal and 8 points in 6 playoff games before enrolling at Wilfrid Laurier University.
“I’d describe myself as an offensive playmaker who has a knack around the net, I like to think I’m someone who tries to make their teammates better by setting them up for scoring chances,” commented Benwell when describing his playing style. Reuniting with Hobbs was a big factor in joining Evansville, as Benwell went on to say: “We had a great relationship and kept in touch over the years, he mentioned how much fun he’s had in Evansville and how kind and generous the people are. I found Evansville to be a very attractive program, especially after their championship run last year. Speaking with Coach Bes, I became really excited about the professional environment and the winning culture it fosters with this group. No matter where you go, everyone wants to win and it sounds like there’s a recipe in this organization that leads to success, and I’m incredibly excited to put my best foot forward and be a part of it!” In closing, Benwell expressed excitement of the highest order, saying: “ I’d say I’m at a 10 out of 10 level of excitement! It’s always a privilege to be able to do what you love, which for me is playing hockey. I couldn’t be more excited to get down to Evansville in October and get to work!”
On the addition of Benwell, Head Coach Jeff Bes commented: “Evan is an offensive forward that has produced at every level he has played at. He has a high hockey IQ and is very creative with the puck, which generates scoring opportunities for himself as well as his teammates.”
