Ben Chiarot

Lore & Background

Chiarot was born in Hamilton, Ontario, to Tara and Matt Chiarot. His grandfather Gord played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, while his father and uncle played college football for McMaster University. His father refused to allow him to play football as a child, so he focused on ice hockey. He played minor hockey as a defenceman for the Mississauga IceDogs of the Greater Toronto Hockey League, recording 22 goals and 64 points in 75 regular season games in his final season. He later played major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Guelph Storm, Sudbury Wolves, and Saginaw Spirit.

Chiarot spent the first eight seasons of his professional career within the Thrashers/Jets franchise. He signed a two-way deal with the Jets in 2014 after a strong campaign with the St. John's IceCaps of the American Hockey League. He was re-signed by the Jets to two-year contract extensions in 2015 and 2017. He left as a free agent in 2019 to sign a three-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. In his first season in Montreal, he set a personal best of 9 goals and 12 assists in 69 games. He assumed an increasingly prominent role in the Canadiens' defense corps and participated in the team's deep run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He led the Canadiens in ice time during the playoffs.

In the final season of his contract, Chiarot was traded to the Florida Panthers in March 2022. He made his debut with the Panthers on March 24 against the Canadiens. The Panthers won the Presidents' Trophy and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in a quarter century, where they were swept by the Lightning. In July 2022, Chiarot signed a four-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings.

Reader's Guide

Ben Chiarot's career is notable for his progression from a fourth-round draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers to a reliable NHL defenceman who played a key role in a Stanley Cup Finals run. His time with the Winnipeg Jets established him as a professional after developing in the AHL with the St. John's IceCaps. His move to the Montreal Canadiens marked a significant step, as he set a personal best in scoring and became a central figure on the blue line during the team's unexpected run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals, where he led the Canadiens in ice time. That playoff experience, which he described as 'the pinnacle of what hockey is,' highlighted his ability to handle increased responsibility. His subsequent trade to the Florida Panthers and later signing with the Detroit Red Wings continued his career as a veteran defenceman. Chiarot's path from a minor hockey player in Mississauga to an NHL regular, despite a family background in Canadian football, underscores his dedication to hockey.

Did You Know?

• Chiarot scored his first NHL goal on January 3, 2015, in a 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
• He led the Montreal Canadiens in ice time during the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs.
• Chiarot was fined for head-butting Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ross Colton in Game 1 of the second round of the 2022 playoffs.