When a team has the second pick in the National Hockey League entry draft, it might not get the player it really wanted. But yesterday the Seattle Kraken gave a pretty good impression of a team that got exactly the player they wanted.
Two days after stocking their roster in the NHL expansion draft the Kraken convened with the league’s other 31 teams in selecting the top amateur players in the world. Matty Beniers, a 6’1 175 lb. center out of the University of Michigan became the first-ever Kraken amateur pick and number- two overall. A lottery gave Buffalo the number-one pick and the Sabres selected Benier’s Wolverine teammate defenseman Owen Power.
FITTING A NEED
Center appeared to be a position where the Kraken could use some shoring up after Wednesday’s draft. Yanni Gourde, the best center on the roster, will miss the first two months of the regular season recovering from shoulder surgery.
“It’s a big jump from any league to the NHL but the way (Beniers) skates and competes every night there’s a possibility he could make the team in the fall,” said Kraken general manager Ron Francis. “He’s a character kid who takes on all challenges.”
The 18-year-old forward from Higham, Mass. (south of Boston) originally planned to attend Harvard, but switched to Michigan when the Ivy League cancelled sports last year due to COVID-19.Both of his parents studied engineering at Cornell and Beniers is in pre-med with an interest in dermatology.
“Throughout the process (leading up to the draft) I liked the Kraken a lot,’‘ said Beniers. I don’t know a lot about Seattle, but I watch a lot of Seahawk games. So I know the fan base is great.”
A BUSY FRESHMAN YEAR
Beniers started the NCAA season with the Wolverines, then joined Team USA for the World Junior Championship. He was a major contributor to the Americans’ gold medal run, impressing his teammates and clearly Kraken front office personnel. He returned to Michigan to finish his freshman season and the 18-year old finished the campaign with 24 points (10 goals and 14 assists) in 24 games.
When the Michigan season ended Beniers was invited to join a U.S. team of predominantly NHLers at the World Championship.
“It gets even faster at every level,” said Beniers. “I got to see where I fit. The men’s championship was a good mark to see where I am at. I need to work on getting bigger and stronger.”
At the world championships, Beniers said current Kraken Colin Blackwell, “mentored me and showed me the ropes.”
BACK TO SCHOOL
Power and Beniers are the first teammates plucked 1-2 in the draft since the Montreal Canadiens took Reagan House and Marc Tariff from the Montreal Junior Canadiens in 1974. Luke Hughes who committed to attend Michigan next year went fourth and current Wolverine Kent Johnson was picked fifth. Mackie Samoskevitch was the fifth Michigan player drafted at 25.
While a fair amount of players drafting in the first round compete in the NHL the following season, if all the Wolverines decided to stay in school, Michigan would be a strong favorite to win the NCAA title.
“We didn’t have a `real’ season last year,” Beniers admitted. “We’d like to make a run at the national championships.” Not surprisingly, Beniers hasn’t given a definitive answer regarding his plans for next season.”
Meanwhile, Francis continues to plan for the long haul. The Kraken drafted a young team in the expansion draft and about a half dozen of those players will probably spend the year in the minors.
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