Matty Beniers, Michigan Wolverines.
Almost a quarter of the way through the 2021-22 season, it has become apparent that the Seattle Kraken have their fair share of struggles. With 23 games already under their belt, the team is 7th in the Pacific Division. Their 8-13-1 season record and .391 P% is an unsettling reminder that not all expansion teams are as lucky as the Vegas Golden Knights.
There is always the chance the Kraken can figure out how to put things together. But, the reality is, losing games by a 2+ goal deficit has become the norm. Only a miracle a la the 2018-19 St. Louis Blues could turn things around. However, too many factors make that unlikely.
So, where do the Seattle Kraken go from here? How do they turn things around? A lot of that depends on the future they have started to build through the draft. They haven’t had years to stockpile draft picks like the rest of the league. Nevertheless, they’ve started to build a pretty strong foundation. The centerpiece of their arsenal is 19-year-old Matthew Beniers.
For players looking to be drafted at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the 2020-21 season presented huge obstacles. Prior to the start of the season, the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) announced that they would be suspending all team sports due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Several players had to make tough calls. Matty Beniers was one of those players who committed to Harvard University.
A last-minute change in plans found Beniers donning the maize and blue of the University of Michigan Wolverines. In hindsight, Beniers decision to join the Wolverines was a wise choice in furthering his career.
He quickly set himself apart as one of their most dominant players. Beniers opened the season with a four-game scoring streak while playing on the fourth line. It wasn’t long before he moved his way up the lineup, solidifying a spot for himself in Michigan’s Top-6. It wasn’t long before his draft stock skyrocketed. His name was thrown in the mix as a potential first or second overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
The COVID-19 pandemic continued to be problematic for Beniers and the Wolverines. Their season was shortened from its original 34 game format. However, the 18-year-old pivot still managed to end his season at a point-per-game pace, putting up 24 points (10g, 14a) in 24 games. He finished the year 3rd in the league in freshman scoring and 3rd on his team in points.
At the conclusion of their season, the Wolverines competed in the 2021 Big 10 Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament. Shutting out their rivals, Ohio State, 4-0 in the quarter-finals, they set themselves up for a showdown against Minnesota in the Semifinals. Unfortunately, they were eliminated in overtime.
Following the tournament, Michigan was set to compete in the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament. However, they were removed before they had the chance to compete due to several positive COVID-19 tests. This resulted in them forfeiting their opening match against Minnesota–Duluth.
Despite the devastating blow to end Michigan’s season, Beniers was still predicted by experts to be the consensus number two selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. On June 2, 2021, the NHL held its draft lottery. The Buffalo Sabres, Seattle Kraken, and Anaheim Ducks would draft in the Top 3, respectively.
The Buffalo Sabres selected Michigan defenseman Owen Power first overall. It was no surprise that Seattle Kraken General Manager, Ron Francis, announced the second overall selection to be Matty Beniers. He became the first draft pick in franchise history, and his style seemed to compliment the vision Francis had for his new team.
Following the 2021 Draft, Beniers decided to return to the University of Michigan. After a disappointing end to the 2020-21 season, Matty now has the chance to have the traditional college experience he missed out on in his first year
In hindsight, returning to the NCAA was the best decision for Beniers. The Kraken could have benefited from having him on the team, but first and foremost, it is important not to rush young prospects. Ron Francis and Matty seem to be on the same page about that.
Another year with Michigan will allow him to develop in areas he needs to see improvement before taking on a big role in the NHL. He can do this in a low-stress, high talent environment, without the pressure and responsibility of having to carry an NHL team in their inaugural season as a rookie.
This season, Michigan’s roster is stacked. Fellow 2021 first-round selections Owen Power (1st), Luke Hughes (4th), Kent Johnson (5th), and Mackie Samoskevich (24th) are all joining Beniers. The team currently leads the Big Ten and seems to be in a prime position to chase a championship.
To start the season, Beniers has taken on the role of Michigan’s top-line center. In addition, he is the only underclassman to be appointed to this year’s leadership group. This speaks volumes of his character both on and off the ice.
In just 16 games, Matty has already surpassed his goal total from 2020-21. He currently leads his team in goals, is third overall in scoring, has the highest shooting percentage, has scored 7 power-play goals, and has scored 3 game-winning goals. His stellar performance earned him the first star of the week in the Big 10 for two consecutive weeks.
Beniers didn’t start the season the way he had hoped, however. He struggled to produce, and it weighed heavily on him. Eventually, his coach, Mel Pearson, stepped in. He encouraged Matty by sharing an article about Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner.
Marner himself had struggled to start the season. However, once he took a step back and found his way back to playing fun hockey, the ketchup bottle started flowing for the 24-year-old winger. He now has 17 points in 20 games.
“For me the puck just wasn’t going in the net – everybody has it. I’m not a guy who focuses on the outside pressure as much as my personal expectations: I want to help the team, I want to be a go-to guy who scores goals and makes plays and I wasn’t doing my part. I was probably being a little too hard on myself. Seeing the article and talking to my parents, I took a step back and had fun playing hockey, not worrying about anything else. That was my change in thought and the last couple of games have been a lot of fun.” –Matty Beniers
The encouragement seemed to work for Beniers. In the following days, he went on to score two goals in his next three games. Along with linemate Kent Johnson and defenseman Owen Power, Beniers has had a big hand in making Michigan the top-ranked team in the nation.
As the Seattle Kraken prepared for their expansion draft, it became clear that a big focus for the team was their defense and putting together a team that was a physical powerhouse. However, putting so much emphasis on building a heavy-hitting roster has somewhat backfired on the team that thought they could be competitive going into the season.
Granted, a big part of Seattle’s struggles can be attributed to the fact that this is a team that has only played together for 23 games. They are still finding their sea legs and developing chemistry up and down the roster. Nevertheless, their struggles on the ice seem to bleed into one another, making it hard to distinguish where the team needs the most work.
Starting down the middle isn’t a bad idea though. While Yanni Gourde, Alexander Wennberg, and Morgan Geekie are all serviceable centermen, it is unlikely the Kraken will find success unless they add a player of Beniers caliber to their Top 9. His style on the ice seems as though it will fit perfectly among the trio.
He isn’t going to be the be-all-end-all for the Seattle Kraken. However, when he makes his break into the NHL, the Kraken will be a better team because of it. His wide range of skills and strengths will make him an important piece for Seattle’s future.
A big issue for Seattle this season has been their slow starts. Beniers is young and full of energy; he knows how to drive the pace of a game. He is an explosive skater who is incredibly difficult to stop. His skating skills also allow him to be strong on his feet, which also makes it hard to knock him off the puck or win board battles against.
The power play has also been a sore spot in the Pacific Northwest. Matty has often been the go-to guy on the penalty kill and in late situations, but this season, Beniers has proven that he is also a force on the power play. As mentioned previously, he has 7 power-play goals in 16 games this season. That is a vast improvement from the previous season when he didn’t score any. Michigan’s 33.9% on the power-play is in large part to Beniers.
While Beniers cannot solve Seattle’s goaltending woes, his defensive game is his bread and butter. He is often praised for his high hockey IQ. However, it is his incredible problem-solving skills that make his defensive game stand out. He has great intuition, which helps him read plays before his opponents can make them. He is quick to get to loose pucks and plays a very smooth transitional game.
One thing Seattle can say is that they are the kings of the sin bin. Only second behind Arizona, the Kraken’s 236 PIM in 23 games tell a story of a very undisciplined team. Beniers style fits in very well with the vision Ron Francis has for this team. However, while he is a heavy-hitting player who isn’t afraid to use his body, Beniers can be assertive on the ice while also maintaining discipline.
The Kraken are currently 13th in the league in Goals For, with 68. Only five players on their roster have scored 5 or more goals this season, with one breaking double digits. While their goal-scoring isn’t the biggest concern, it has still been a major factor in several of their losses. The team is tied for 4th in Goals Against. If they are going to allow 3.48 GA/G, it is going to be practically impossible for them to close the gap and win games if they’re only scoring at a 2.96 GF/G pace.
Matty Beniers has taken another step forward in his goal-scoring this season. While a majority of his 11 goals have come on the power play, he is scoring goals nonetheless. However, as a play-making center, it is unlikely that he will be an explosive goal scorer at the NHL level; but, his skills as a playmaker should not go unmentioned.
Beniers is a highly-accurate passer, which makes him a very trustworthy player who can handle a lot of responsibility on the ice. His soft hands give him excellent control of both his stick and the puck. At just 19-years-old he has the ability to drive the pace of the game, speeding it up or slowing it down in order to create more opportunities and openings in the defense. His incredible vision and strong instincts are what keep him on Michigan’s score sheet on a nightly basis.
Following his 2021-22 campaign with the Wolverines, Beniers will be free to sign his ELC. It would not come as a surprise if he joined Seattle at the conclusion of his season in Michigan. This would be a great opportunity for Beniers to get familiar with the Kraken before he, hopefully, earns a spot on the team in 2022-23 out of training camp.
The Seattle Kraken may not make it to the playoffs. However, if they add Beniers to their roster following his season in Michigan, the last few weeks of Kraken hockey are sure to be exciting.