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

[Erik Alfredsson]

Great tournament for his age. Excellent motor, great two-way play. I hope to see a little more offensive finish, be that with a deadlier shot or more playmaking initiative, but if he can develop those skills then he could be a legitimate star in the NHL.

 

[Sean Garrity]

17 going on 30. Was impressed by him, need him to be more reliable in the dot, but played a solid 2-way game especially given his age and the compete level is clearly there.

 

[DrSense]

I think if his production is high in college this year, he will be right at the top of this draft - and could push for #1 overall. It's a wide open race right now. Besides the motor, he showed excellent skill and creativity against guys two years older. Being the #2 center and driving a line on a gold medal winning team in your draft year is pretty rarified air.

 

[seadawg]

Lots to like about Beniers. There are some flaws in his game, but he's young and can work to improve in those areas. I don't think he would be a top 5 draftee in most years, but given the uncertainty of 2021, I could definitely see him go that high, and there's nothing wrong with that. He is a bit of a project pick, but I think he projects to be a solid NHLer with potential to become a top 6 player.

 

[57special]

He wasn't just good at the WJC, but was VG at MI, where, IMO, he out played Powers and Johnson. Pretty sure he played a lot of Center there.

He has shown so well this year that maybe he will start to get picked apart for flaws....because that's what happens when you are in consideration for #1 OA. Lafreniere was a no doubt #1, 2021 will be way more up in the air.

 

[PuckProspects]

Highlight video of Matthew Beniers at the 2021 WJC. Excellent skater, great two way player, and his work ethic is second to none. He might not be an elite point producer at this stage but he can be and was trusted in every situation. Easy top 5 pick for me. Should be in consideration for #1 overall with the draft being weaker at the top.

 

[newfy]

I think with the lack of being able to see some highly rated guys this year to scout them, Beniers might go higher than some expect because he seems really safe to be a solid player. I'm not saying he doesnt have high end skill but hes definitely a well rounded player that could be chosen because hes safer this year

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I think with the lack of being able to see some highly rated guys this year to scout them, Beniers might go higher than some expect because he seems really safe to be a solid player. I'm not saying he doesnt have high end skill but hes definitely a well rounded player that could be chosen because hes safer this year

I think it's as simple as there's going to be fewer games in general for every player's resume, so for Beniers to show so well at the WJC that's going to help him a lot. Similarly Florian Elias I think is a lock to get drafted even as an overager due to his WJC and there being 7 rounds.

 

[Odie Cleghorn]

He wasn't just good at the WJC, but was VG at MI, where, IMO, he out played Powers and Johnson. Pretty sure he played a lot of Center there.

He has shown so well this year that maybe he will start to get picked apart for flaws....because that's what happens when you are in consideration for #1 OA. Lafreniere was a no doubt #1, 2021 will be way more up in the air.

He has been very good at Michigan especially for a 1st year player. Power & Johnson had a really good 1st game but have tailed off since. Thomas Bordeleau (Sharks pick) has also been very good.

 

[Wierzbowski426]

This kid's motor was so impressive.

Any rankings having him out of the top 10 are ridiculous imo. I would personally rank him top 5.

 

[Jackpot Jaret]

This kid really caught my eyes with his zone entries, even in tight space

 

[The Sweetness]

This kid is outstanding. He always seems to be doing something to help his team. Great skater with outstanding agility and edges, really smart with strong hockey sense, crazy motor and very good skill.

He wasn’t shy out there at all as an underager which is impressive.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

He's a 5-10 pick. D are going early this year.

 

[Nabrules]

Good player, will most likely go top 10 given this years uncertainty and frankly weak crop, but I see a middle 6 forward at the likeliest outcome.

 

[seadawg]

Highlight video of Matthew Beniers at the 2021 WJC. Excellent skater, great two way player, and his work ethic is second to none. He might not be an elite point producer at this stage but he can be and was trusted in every situation. Easy top 5 pick for me. Should be in consideration for #1 overall with the draft being weaker at the top.

These clips highlight Beniers' strengths for sure...but as some of us have discussed earlier in this thread, they also highlight one area of his game that he needs to work on, and that is "slowing down" sometimes and letting the play develop. There were at least three incidents in those clips where he rushed the puck into the zone, circled around a bit, and then threw a pass to no one because, quite frankly, he was rushing the play too much. This can be taught, I think. He just has to know when to step off the gas a bit.

 

[RedWingzz]

Good player, will most likely go top 10 given this years uncertainty and frankly weak crop, but I see a middle 6 forward at the likeliest outcome.

I see his absolute floor as a 2nd liner to be honest.

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

I could see the Rangers falling head over heels in love with this guy

 

[FoxyClean]

I could see the Rangers falling head over heels in love with this guy

He's a pipe dream unless we have a top 5 pick. And if we get a top-5 pick, something went terribly wrong.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Big fan of Beniers, liked him with the NTDP, like him at Michigan, liked him this WJC. I truly think he's a top 10 pick most drafts, and he could quite likely go top 5 this year due to his perceived higher floor and his larger sample size of games this year.

His biggest strengths:

Offensive zone entries/skating: He basically walks into the offensive zone, which the advanced metrics reflect. Really important skill for a modern center, and makes him more likely to work on a powerplay in the future. This stems from his plus skating, which has improved consistently year after year.

General 200ft game: strong forechecker, board-battler, penalty-killer, etc. Wasn't evident this WJC, but he's been great on faceoffs for Michigan this year.

Intangibles: the dreaded word, but I think it applies here. Everywhere he goes, his coaches eventually trust him with pretty big minutes in high-pressure situations. He was called up early to the U18s, he transfered to Michigan pretty last minute and has earned big minutes as a freshman center. Shows steady improvement year to year, etc.

Needs improvement:

Patience/playmaking in the offensive zone: Beniers' zone entries and forechecking generate a TON of offensive opportunities. Often he'll win a puck battle behind the goalie or skate in nicely through the own zone, then just kinda chuck the puck on net or throw a blind pass to the slot. Not always the worst strategy tbf, but probably his biggest area for growth. I'm confident this will improve as his size, edge-work, and chemistry with teammates evolves. If he can more consistently find skilled teammates in dangerous areas, I think you're looking at a 60+ point two-way center.

Shot: classic prospect critique. Wouldn't say it's a plus, wouldn't say it's a minus. Room for improvement.

Turnovers: more evident at Michigan than at the WJC. Sometimes, usually when Michigan is losing, Beniers will try and skate through like 3 defenders, give up the puck at the blue line, and create a pretty good counterattacking opportunity for the other team. I like his confidence on zone entries, but it can be a double-edged sword. Not a huge criticism, just an aspect of his game that needs maturing.

 

[seadawg]

Big fan of Beniers, liked him with the NTDP, like him at Michigan, liked him this WJC. I truly think he's a top 10 pick most drafts, and he could quite likely go top 5 this year due to his perceived higher floor and his larger sample size of games this year.

His biggest strengths:

Offensive zone entries/skating: He basically walks into the offensive zone, which the advanced metrics reflect. Really important skill for a modern center, and makes him more likely to work on a powerplay in the future. This stems from his plus skating, which has improved consistently year after year.

General 200ft game: strong forechecker, board-battler, penalty-killer, etc. Wasn't evident this WJC, but he's been great on faceoffs for Michigan this year.

Intangibles: the dreaded word, but I think it applies here. Everywhere he goes, his coaches eventually trust him with pretty big minutes in high-pressure situations. He was called up early to the U18s, he transfered to Michigan pretty last minute and has earned big minutes as a freshman center. Shows steady improvement year to year, etc.

Needs improvement:

Patience/playmaking in the offensive zone: Beniers' zone entries and forechecking generate a TON of offensive opportunities. Often he'll win a puck battle behind the goalie or skate in nicely through the own zone, then just kinda chuck the puck on net or throw a blind pass to the slot. Not always the worst strategy tbf, but probably his biggest area for growth. I'm confident this will improve as his size, edge-work, and chemistry with teammates evolves. If he can more consistently find skilled teammates in dangerous areas, I think you're looking at a 60+ point two-way center.

Shot: classic prospect critique. Wouldn't say it's a plus, wouldn't say it's a minus. Room for improvement.

Turnovers: more evident at Michigan than at the WJC. Sometimes, usually when Michigan is losing, Beniers will try and skate through like 3 defenders, give up the puck at the blue line, and create a pretty good counterattacking opportunity for the other team. I like his confidence on zone entries, but it can be a double-edged sword. Not a huge criticism, just an aspect of his game that needs maturing.

This is an excellent summation of Beniers, and I completely agree with all of this based on my viewings of him. He will be a very useful player at the NHL level. Where he eventually settles into the lineup will depend on the depth of the team that drafts him. He could be a poor-man's 1C or an above-average 3C. He could play the penalty kill (most certainly will, imo) and be on the 2nd unit power play, or step onto the first power play unit if the team lacks depth. He shooting and passing skills are average at this stage, but his skating and zone entries are what will earn him power play time. If he learns to slow things down, let the play develop and become a more cerebral player in the offensive zone instead of always rushing the play (which is entirely possible given he is still young and has lots of time left to develop), he could eclipse 60+ pts at the NHL level. However, like you, I think that is his upside right now without improving certain elements of his game. I also think he is very close to NHL-ready and there's a good chance he plays in the NHL sooner than later (again, depending largely on the depth of the team that drafts him).

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

So is he playing tonight?

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

So is he playing tonight?

The WJC guys should be playing as far as I've heard.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Chippy goal from Matty in Michigan's rivalry blowout tonight

 

[AKL]

Wild need this player badly, please everyone, just step aside and let us have this one.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

He gives me Dylan Larkin vibes. Very good player, very valuable in all situations, but if he's your best player, you might be in trouble.