How Matty Beniers became a Calder frontrunner — and changed the Kraken’s fortunes

SEATTLE — Matty Beniers wanted to set the record straight.

Yes, he put in a ton of work in the offseason. Yes, he gained weight. No, it was not 11 pounds.

That’s the number that’s been thrown around the last few months to quantify the leap he’s made from a college standout with the University of Michigan to an everyday NHL center for the Kraken.

“I definitely saw some really nice results from good hard work in the summer,” Beniers told The Athletic. “I would say it was more like seven-ish pounds. Ten maybe. Ten on a good day!”

It was a game of telephone from one interview at training camp that fluffed the final number. Whether it was seven, eight or 11 pounds doesn’t really matter, does it?

The weight he gained is a tangible example of the work Beniers has put in to emerge as a Calder Trophy candidate and catalyst for the Kraken’s early success after their abysmal 30th-place debut.

Of course, adding Andre Burakovsky and Oliver Bjorkstrand to the mix, and getting players like Brandon Tanev and Jaden Schwartz healthy has helped turn things around, as have other offseason improvements.

But make no mistake: Year 2 in Seattle has been about the arrival of Beniers — what he brings to the lineup today, and what he’ll mean to the NHL’s newest franchise for the next decade or so. Today, he’s a Calder candidate. Down the line? If Beniers’ first 38 games in Seattle are any indication, there’s more to come. A lot more.

“You’re seeing a young player that has a lot of ability that’s going to grow into a leader and a great player, I believe, in this league,” said Seattle head coach Dave Hakstol.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that Beniers has held his own at the NHL level. He’s made plenty of jumps in his career and has seldom looked out of place.

That experience, Beniers said, has helped his transition.

“The NHL is a big jump, everyone is obviously really good, but I think I was expecting that and was pretty prepared with all the hockey that I’ve played with being in college and then playing overseas and playing with older guys before,” Beniers said. “I think I was well prepared in that sense.”

That ability — to learn and find comfort while leveling up — is part of what sold Seth Appert on Beniers in the first place.

At 15, Beniers was a good player for Milton Academy, a Boston-area prep school. He was small, though, with a late birthday and a growth spurt that hadn’t hit, which stopped him from being a lock for the 2018 U.S. under-17 team.

Appert, then a coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program, decided to invite Beniers to a practice with his 2000 birth year group.

“He was out there against guys two years older than him, guys that have been in the weight room for a couple years at the program,” said Appert, now the head coach of the AHL Rochester Americans.  “It’s not an easy assignment.”

Still, Beniers held his own against 17-year-olds — like K’Andre Miller and Joel Farabee who, a few months later, would be taken in the first round.

“His competitiveness and his intelligence really showed through even in that tough environment,” said Appert. “It was very clear to me after he was on the ice with us that he could make the national team for the next season.”

He made the U.S. NTDP that spring and officially moved to Plymouth, Mich., in the summer. It wasn’t long before his next jump.

After a solid U17 campaign, Beniers was the only player called up to a U18 roster that featured Cole Caufield, Trevor Zegras, Jack Hughes and other 2019 NHL draftees. There were U17 players who outproduced Beniers, but, according to John Wroblewski — the coach of the U18 team at the time — Beniers “was by far and away one of the better players.”

With the U18 team, Beniers scored 20 points in 20 games — playing on the wing, up and down the lineup — and added two goals at the U18 World Junior Championship en route to a silver medal.

“The U18 team was a pretty special group,” said Wroblewski. “And he held his own very nicely.”

Beniers played the 2019-20 season with the under-18 team, once again ahead of his draft class, this time alongside the country’s top 2020 draft eligibles. He led the team in goals and was a near-point-per-game player. But it wasn’t his production that stood out.

“As skilled as he is, when he was with us, Matty helped you win games in every other way,” said Appert. “He wins puck battles at an extraordinary rate. He hunts pucks down at an extraordinary rate. He’s very good in hard areas in traffic. He’s very good on the penalty kill. He’s an excellent defensive player. It’s all those things combined together with his skill and intelligence that made him special.”

By the time Beniers was done at the U.S. program, Appert was sure that he’d be a first-round pick. One year later, after his freshman season, Beniers was drafted second overall — the Kraken’s first draft pick. One year after that, he was in the NHL.

How did that happen?

First, Beniers made the decision to go to Michigan after committing to Harvard University. With the Ivy League season canceled due to COVID-19, he needed somewhere consistent to play in his draft year.

Once he got to Michigan — still only 17 years old — Beniers wanted to exclusively play center. That required extra work he was happy to put in as being effective at a premier position certainly wouldn’t hurt his stock.

“His game just kept developing and I think that’s just because of his work ethic and his approach,” said Bill Muckalt, an associate coach with Michigan. “He’s a student of the game, and he always wants to get better. He watches a lot of video, he’s cerebral, he’s got a passion for the game, he’s invested in it.

“His motor’s always going so you’re gonna get the same from him every day. Whether it’s practice or a game, he’s got one speed.”

Beniers matched up against top lines, played on special teams, excelled in transition and exhibited solid two-way play as a full-time center. He was an important piece for one of the best NCAA rosters.

It was no surprise to his coaches that he was selected to play at the World Junior Championships, an under-20 event, as a recently-turned 18-year-old, the youngest player on the team. Then, after a freshman campaign that shot him up to No. 6 in NHL Central Scouting’s North American rankings, Beniers carved out a role on the men’s Team USA roster that won bronze at the 2021 World Championships.

“Both of those experiences were great for me,” said Beniers. “It’s not the NHL, but you’re definitely playing against bigger, older, stronger guys and it’s a faster pace and you just kinda have to adapt to that and learn how to play and be effective in those types of games.

“Those were definitely two earlier examples of getting used to playing against older guys like that, and it definitely helped moving forward.”

In Year 2 at Michigan, Beniers made strides on offense, scoring 20 goals and 43 points in 37 games. Muckalt wanted Beniers to minimize the amount of stick handling he did before shooting, focusing on getting shots off before opposing goalies could get set.

Beniers didn’t need to be told twice. He worked on his release after every practice that week for about 15 minutes, though Muckalt says “he’d have stayed on the ice all day” if you’d let him. By Friday night, Beniers scored a goal off a quick release in the slot; the goalie had no chance.

“It was a cool moment,” said Muckalt. “He put the work in and it clicked right away. It’s a credit to him, for being able to incorporate something (that important) into his game. In the National Hockey League, goalies are so good. You have to get a shot off so quickly.”

Another call-up to the national team saw Beniers play against men at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. He scored one goal and two points but gained more valuable experience. Back with Michigan, Beniers played meaningful NCAA hockey, leading his team to the Frozen Four. The Wolverines lost in the semifinals against Denver, which prompted another big jump.

Beniers says he spent four days on the phone with his parents weighing whether to go pro or return to college. He opted into his entry-level contract and reported to Seattle to much fanfare.

“Some people think, ‘Oh it was easy, you knew you were going,’ but when it came down to actually making the decision after the season was over, it was definitely really tough for me,” said Beniers. “At the end of the day, I made the decision to move on based on how the year went and what we saw in terms of my development.”

In a 10-game taste in the NHL, Beniers looked as dynamic and confident as a 19-year-old could in that situation. He scored three goals and nine points.

“It was the end of the year, but it was obvious that he was pretty comfortable with us,” said Hakstol. “Not only did he fit in, but he was ready to be there and find success.”

Hakstol wasn’t alone. Beniers felt it, too.

“You never really know if it’s the right decision (to make the jump),” he said. “When you’re there and you’re able to have success, you’re like ‘Maybe this was the right decision. Maybe I do fit in here.’”

Beniers walked out of his exit meeting with Hakstol knowing where he stood and what his coach expected. Add some weight, and get stronger. That was the key message heading into his first full NHL season, where he’d be matching up against bigger, older players on a nightly basis.

“There’s a certain drive about him to improve and get better in every way that he can,” Hakstol said. “That’s one of the things that stands out about Matty.”

Beniers came into camp with more muscle — 10 pounds on a good day — and a sense of his competition. The difference between this year and last, though, is that Beniers isn’t just making a cameo. He’s an everyday NHL center now, a new challenge for him to meet.

“It’s a whole new season and everyone is right in the mix and every team is going 110 percent,” he said. “You’re not getting any off nights. That’s definitely been a little harder, but I think watching video with coaches, getting used to it more and just playing more games, you’re just bound to get better at it over time.”

According to Beniers, his transition to the NHL is still “a work in progress.” And while it’s true that the 20-year-old is not a finished product, he’s probably selling himself short.

Beniers is already a solid two-way center who plays with a high tempo, hunts pucks, has excellent vision and creates separation with his foot speed, particularly off the rush. He ranks second behind only Jordan Eberle in offensive zone carry rate among Kraken forwards, according to Corey Sznajder’s tracking data.

“He wants the puck and when he has it on his tape, he can skate very well through the middle of the ice, which opens things up for his linemates and it’s so easy when you have a center that does that,” said Kraken teammate Yanni Gourde. “He reminds me a little bit of Brayden Point the way that he skates through the middle of the ice with the puck, heads up, and always with speed. It’s fun to watch.”

Hakstol called Beniers a good two-way, 200-foot player, which isn’t something you always hear about players just entering the league. Many center prospects start on the wing before moving to the middle, where the defensive responsibility is greater.

“It’s tough to ask for a young guy who just turned 20 (on Nov. 5),” said Hakstol. “The physical challenges are great. But the mental side can be even tougher. When you’re playing up the middle and shouldering the responsibility and you’re doing it every day against great players, the role can get heavy.

“He’s ready for the physical challenge of being in the NHL as a centerman every day,” he added. “But the thing that really stands out is his confidence and his readiness maturity wise. That’s what makes him a good player on a daily basis.”

Muckalt played 256 games in the NHL. He knows how difficult the transition can be. But he’s not surprised at all by Beniers’ success.

“(To) have that kind of responsibility from a defensive aspect, it’s a big deal,” he said. “But he’s a player that earned trust from our staff from Day one. He’s reliable and he’s got really good details in his game, and he learns. He’s not going to make the same mistake over again. He’s very coachable, and very knowledgeable.”

According to Gourde, Beniers is already a more complete player.

“It’s tough sometimes for young players to know the responsibility of playing low as a center, and managing the puck, but he’s matured a lot in his first 30 games,” he said. “He’s doing an unbelievable job at making sure he has all these things taken care of.”

Beniers has put a lot of work into the details of his game: Being better in the face-off circle, being in the right spots to support his defenders, and being generally responsible on both sides of the puck.

“There’s a lot of guys who have skill offensively,” he says. “But being able to shut down the top line or play well defensively, that’s really hard work.”

Beniers is fourth among Kraken forwards in defensive zone starts and face-offs, which indicates the trust Hakstol has in his young center. Beniers starts around 54 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, but he’s not being sheltered too dramatically.

For the season Beniers has earned 54 percent of the expected goals, and 56 percent of the actual goals, which tells us he’s not getting hemmed into his own zone too often. And only Jared McCann — one of Beniers’ common linemates — has allowed fewer expected goals against per 60 among Seattle forwards.

According to The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn and his GSVA model, Beniers’ defensive impact is projected to be better than 92 percent of the players at his position. He’s also projected to be worth 2.2 wins over an 82-game season, which would make Beniers the most valuable player on the Kraken by GSVA.

“He does everything right,” said Gourde. “And that’s what you need to do at this level.”

Perhaps lost in the praise for Beniers’ work ethic, two-way play and determination are his savvy passing and quick release in the slot.

His 11 goals and 23 points lead all rookies through his first 28 games. Beniers is second on the Kraken in goals; only Burakovsky (27) and Jordan Eberle (24) have more points. Beniers has been on Seattle’s second power-play unit, but most of his production — seven goals and 17 points — comes at five-on-five, where he leads the Kraken in points. Eighteen of his points are primary — either a goal or the first assist. He has two game-winning goals this season, too, including an overtime winner only seven seconds into extra time.

That all puts him on a 32-goal, 67-point pace over an 82-game season. Since 2014-15, only Auston Matthews (40) and Patrik Laine (36) have scored more in their rookie seasons. Only five rookies — Matthews, Laine, Artemi Panarin, Kyle Connor and Dominik Kubalik — have scored at least 30 goals. A 60-point rookie season would put Beniers in elite company with players other players like Nathan MacKinnon (63), Johnny Gaudreau (64), Mitch Marner (61), Trevor Zegras (61) and Filip Forsberg (63), among others.

It’s reasonable to expect ups and downs. That’s hockey, even for veteran players. Beniers already had a six-game stretch with zero points. According to Gourde, “nobody cared.”

When you bring other elements to the team like Beniers, Gourde said, it’s OK not to score every single night.

What impressed Hakstol most about that stretch, from Nov. 3 to Nov. 17, was that he didn’t see Beniers panic or change his game.

“It’s not an easy thing to do, to remain confident through the ups and downs,” he said. “But he’s shown an ability to do that and remain very even keeled and just come back the next day and work extremely hard and do it with a real clear perspective.”

Part of that perspective comes from ignoring external pressure. Beniers is not driven by the expectations of being an organization’s first-ever draft pick, or the awards buzz he’s generated. Beniers’ goal, he said, is to “get better every game and help my team.”

While that might sound cliche, it checks out with everything his teammates and coaches have said about him since he was 15 years old — and probably before then, too.

Fewer than 40 games into his NHL career, Beniers has come as advertised as a staunch two-way forward who could one day become a cornerstone for the Kraken — the kind of player who can change games, lead a room, score big goals and become the perennial MVP of his team.

The point totals speak for themselves. So does the quick defense of Justin Schultz on Sunday against the Florida Panthers. It’s that kind of move that has endeared Beniers to Kraken fans and his teammates.

Beniers is still young. And the player we see right now won’t be the player we see in three years. All signs point to him being a key piece — perhaps captain — for the Kraken in the short and long term.

That’s the next level up for Matty Beniers.

(Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)