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

[Stephen]

So Matty Beniers, his upside is something a la Patrice Bergeron?

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I think he's just like an O'Reilly-type

 

[Mr Buckles]

Scored his first NHL goal



With sound:

 

[bsu]

Love that kid, he's perfect for that organization so hard working.

 

[AuraSphere]

This kid's going to be really good.

 

[Pavels Dog]

2021 draft continues to look absolutely insane.

 

[BKarchitect]

Gotta be thrilling for Seattle fans. Inaugural year and yet I think from a league-wide fan viewpoint, the Kraken have been pretty much a forgotten afterthought. They just didn’t get the same juice from the expansion orange that Vegas did and thus they are just a very vanilla bad team with some fine depth players but little to appeal from a national spotlight or storyline standpoint.

And yet it’s a great sports city and they look great in those navy and sea foam sweaters on the ice and it really feels like the Beniers arriving there is the first glimpse at the actual Kraken being born. I secretly hope they can nab Cooley or Nazar and kind of stake out a USNT West vibe with their core pieces.

 

[BKarchitect]

2021 draft continues to look absolutely insane.

It really does. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a draft crop so quickly pivot from “mediocre draft, no stars” to “holy crap…there could be a bunch of #1 centers and #1 defenseman” from this draft. Although I still see this narrative persisting even now that it was a bad draft - I think that got drummed into everybody’s head so hard that now people just parrot that completely ludicrous perspective.

Part of me still thinks the lost/wonky 2020 season kind of depressed the actual value and upsides of the entire class of players.

 

[BKarchitect]

I think he's just like an O'Reilly-type

Yeah I think so too. Similar frame, similar two-way upside…so strong and tenacious on the puck, underrated vision…he already makes his line better. He’s a better skater for sure though. Already looks so damn comfortable out there. When he packs on that pro strength - again, I think it’s foolish to say he’s a limited ceiling guy. I think he can be an absolute star.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

I remember first watching Matty with the Jack Hughes ‘19 draft NTDP squad and I was impressed. Had to double-check my little program pamphlet, I’m like this kid still isn’t draft eligible for two more years?

Loved his game with the NTDP, loved that Michigan was able to bring him on board after COVID hit, love to see him breaking into the league. He’ll always be one of my personal favorites and I think Seattle has a really good one to build around.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

He reminds me a lot of Dylan Larkin. A lot of speed and energy with enough skill to not only put up points consistently but pull a rabbit out of the hat every once in a while.

 

[tsujimoto74]

It really does. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a draft crop so quickly pivot from “mediocre draft, no stars” to “holy crap…there could be a bunch of #1 centers and #1 defenseman” from this draft. Although I still see this narrative persisting even now that it was a bad draft - I think that got drummed into everybody’s head so hard that now people just parrot that completely ludicrous perspective.

Part of me still thinks the lost/wonky 2020 season kind of depressed the actual value and upsides of the entire class of players.

It definitely did. So few of the eligible players even got to play, and even the ones that did have a season had a weird, truncated version of it.

Congrats to Matty on his 1st!

 

[57special]

Fav player from the draft.

 

[wetcoast]

Scored his 2nd NHL goal tonight.

He will be a Calder favorite next year along with Power one would think.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Scored his 2nd NHL goal tonight.

He will be a Calder favorite next year along with Power one would think.

That'd be cool, I think that a Beniers Calder campaign would be a nice reason to tune into this young Seattle team next season.

Think he'll have some stiff competition though. Should be a strong crop of players entering the league from the '20 draft class on top of the first wave of '21 guys.

 

[wetcoast]

That'd be cool, I think that a Beniers Calder campaign would be a nice reason to tune into this young Seattle team next season.

Think he'll have some stiff competition though. Should be a strong crop of players entering the league from the '20 draft class on top of the first wave of '21 guys.

Yes there could be some guys from 20 like Rossi, Quinn, Sanderson that emerge but right now I think Power and Beniers especially as a forward are the frontrunners.,

 

[sasha barkov]

Yes there could be some guys from 20 like Rossi, Quinn, Sanderson that emerge but right now I think Power and Beniers especially as a forward are the frontrunners.,

I wouldn’t count out McTavish either . I think he posts 45-50 points. Especially if he’s net front with Zegras, Terry, and Drysdale on the PP

 

[wetcoast]

I wouldn’t count out McTavish either . I think he posts 45-50 points. Especially if he’s net front with Zegras, Terry, and Drysdale on the PP

I thought about him but I think Berniers has the easier path.

 

[Reddawg]

I thought about him but I think Berniers has the easier path.

Jack Quinn has entered the chat...

 

[wetcoast]

Jack Quinn has entered the chat...

Will he get the top 6 duties next year and PP TOI though?

 

[Reddawg]

Will he get the top 6 duties next year and PP TOI though?

Time will tell but he has a great opportunity.

 

[hockeynorth]

That'd be cool, I think that a Beniers Calder campaign would be a nice reason to tune into this young Seattle team next season.

Think he'll have some stiff competition though. Should be a strong crop of players entering the league from the '20 draft class on top of the first wave of '21 guys.

Plus Wright and maybe another one of the Nemec/Savoie/Cooley/Slafkovsky crew

 

[wetcoast]

Time will tell but he has a great opportunity.

Berniers has a better one Quinn has older (but still young building blocks blocking him)

 

[wetcoast]

Plus Wright and maybe another one of the Nemec/Savoie/Cooley/Slafkovsky crew

Honestly I don't think anyone from the 22 draft will win the 23 Calder.

 

[grentthealien]

It really does. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a draft crop so quickly pivot from “mediocre draft, no stars” to “holy crap…there could be a bunch of #1 centers and #1 defenseman” from this draft. Although I still see this narrative persisting even now that it was a bad draft - I think that got drummed into everybody’s head so hard that now people just parrot that completely ludicrous perspective.

Part of me still thinks the lost/wonky 2020 season kind of depressed the actual value and upsides of the entire class of players.

In your opinion who are the potential number top line forwards and top parring D-men from the 21 draft? I can think of about 5 guys or so but I’m curious how some of the other kids are developing as I haven’t been following that class too closely since the NHL season started.

I feel like because of how werid the Covid circumstances were for scouts durning that draft that there is going to be a lot of guys who will well exceed their draft position.