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C/LW Matthew Beniers - Univ. of Michigan, NCAA (2021, 2nd, SEA)

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QJL said:
I’d be shocked if Beniers came close to ROR, Larkin, or Kelser.

I see a peak matching last season’s Anthony Cirelli.
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Beniers is a first year draft eligible who was the 2C for a gold medal winning WJC squad, and is being talked about for a top 3 pick and you don't see him having that potential?

You think a peak of a 50ish point center is it?
 
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Pavel Buchnevich said:
I think there's an inherent danger with marking Beniers down as a yearly Selke contender. It reminds me a lot of the discussion that penciled Sanderson in as one of the best shutdown defensemen in the NHL. The defensive part of the game is a lot harder to pencil someone in as NHL elite when they are still a draft-eligible prospect. It's much easier for the offensive side of the game. The defensive side of the game puts a much bigger emphasis on intangibles, hockey sense, intricacies of the game that are much harder to measure.

This isn't to suggest Beniers can't be a yearly Selke contender. He might, but even the guys who are now yearly Selke contenders weren't good enough to be penciled in for that when they were draft eligible. Otherwise, you aren't drafting Bergeron or ROR in the second round. When you draft Beniers in the spot you do, you have to prepare for the possibility he's merely above-average defensively. Can he justify his draft slot if he never becomes better than above-average defensively?
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Yeahno.

Offense is harder to translate as you move up the ranks. Some guys just have 'it' while others don't. Defense is easier to teach. Anyone who has played the game understands this.
 
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I think the best comparable for Beniers is Jonathan Toews. Quick, high-motored, responsible, pretty good size but also really really skilled. Not sure if he has the leadership qualities but play styles are definitely similar.
 
i understand why people make the Toews comparison but isn't that inaccurate? they are such different skaters and as a result they play the game in such a different way.
 
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He skates as good as Barzal but is worse offensively and better defensively, maybe a Point type player if he can improve his shot.
 
UnfinishedBusiness said:
He skates as good as Barzal but is worse offensively and better defensively, maybe a Point type player if he can improve his shot.
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Well, Barzal in his draft year was injured a fair amount, wasn't he? Beniers is significantly bigger and stronger at the same age. Barzal much more of a dangler, which he was actually criticized for. Beniers is a more pwerful, less agile skater, though both were well above average. Most thought Barzal would be destroyed at the NHL level, which explains how he got drafted in the teens rather than the top 5-10. I'm kind of mystified why some think that Beniers can't make the same jump up in play as Barzal, and become a #1C, when Beniers is more highly regarded going into the draft than Barzal, and it's not particularly close.

I feel like some are comparing Barzal now to Beniers, when they should be comparing Barzal in his draft year to Beniers.
 
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OgeeOgelthorpe said:
Yeahno.

Offense is harder to translate as you move up the ranks. Some guys just have 'it' while others don't. Defense is easier to teach. Anyone who has played the game understands this.
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You didn't understand what I was saying.

I'm making the point that its much easier to evaluate offense in players pre-draft. You can look at McDavid's offensive skill-set pre-draft, and see at least 80 points per season easily being right nearly every team. It's much harder to look at Bergeron's defensive skill-set pre-draft, and see Selke wins. The defensive skill-set needed to be an elite defensive player is much harder to evaluate accurately.
 
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Horvat, Reinhart level player. I don’t think he’s the 1st forward off the table thought, I still think it’s going to be guether.
 
Pavel Buchnevich said:
You didn't understand what I was saying.

I'm making the point that its much easier to evaluate offense in players pre-draft. You can look at McDavid's offensive skill-set pre-draft, and see at least 80 points per season easily being right nearly every team. It's much harder to look at Bergeron's defensive skill-set pre-draft, and see Selke wins. The defensive skill-set needed to be an elite defensive player is much harder to evaluate accurately.
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I don’t know for sure which one is easier or more difficult to evaluate as a pro scout, but I get what you’re saying and agree. Most people seem to assume that a great motor and work ethic means a player is going to be effective defensively in the NHL and that’s simply just not the case. Many “2-way” forward prospects never turn into 2-way forwards at the NHL level - even the ones who make it. Physical talent and work ethic are only part of the puzzle of what makes a great defensive player. Defensive hockey IQ isn’t easy to spot for the average person and it’s probably even harder to predict as a prospect goes to the next level and the speed of the game increases significantly.

With all of that being said, I fully expect Berniers to be effective at the NHL level. He has the physical talent and work ethic and he typically seems to be on the right side of the puck whenever he plays now.
 
Our 2021 NHL Draft Preview has begun


Matthew Beniers had an excellent freshman campaign with the University of Michigan. He put up 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points in 24 games this season. Beniers was named to the Big Ten All-Rookie Team, and was an Honourable Mention for the conference all-star team. Beniers and the Wolverines were all set for the Frozen Four Tournament but had to withdraw due to a positive COVID-19 test on a member of the team. He was also part of Team USA at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, helping his country to a gold-medal performance. Beniers put up a goal and two assists in seven games during the tournament.

In 2019-20 Beniers was an alternate captain for the U.S. National Development Team Under-18 Team. He scored 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points in 44 games that year. In 2019, he won a bronze medal at the Under-18 World Championships. As an underage player, he put up two goals in seven games.

2021 NHL Draft #1 : Matthew Beniers Scouting Report
 
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lawrence said:
Horvat, Reinhart level player. I don’t think he’s the 1st forward off the table thought, I still think it’s going to be guether.
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I think it really depends who is drafting where this year. I think Buffalo will be all over Beniers if they are drafting top 3. He brings everything Adams is trying to build Sabres Hockey as moving forward. Guenther seems to play a similar game to Quinn, the RW the Sabres took last year. I don’t know if they go RW two years in a row. Another team will probably jump on Guenther especially if they need a RW.
 
He skates way better than Horvat and Reinhart. Horvat isn't the worst comparison but I don't think its the best either.
 
molotce said:
Torts would have had the greatest erection coaching this guy...
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True, an actual Torts-friendly player for once.
Who has Torts actually liked that he's coached so far? St. Louis, B. Richards, Sedin twins? Any others?
 
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nergish said:
True, an actual Torts-friendly player for once.
Who has Torts actually like that he's coached so far? St. Louis, B. Richards, Sedin twins? Any others?
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Not even a joke, dubois he liked but pushed and butted heads with especially at the end.
 
nergish said:
True, an actual Torts-friendly player for once.
Who has Torts actually like that he's coached so far? St. Louis, B. Richards, Sedin twins? Any others?
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His favorite go to guy in Columbus was Nick Foligno, who does share some attributes with Beniers.
 
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