Top Seattle Kraken pick Matt Beniers will return to University of Michigan
Matty Beniers, the Seattle Kraken’s No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, won’t be joining the team at the start of training camp in September. Instead, Beniers will be returning to the University of Michigan.
The Wolverines’ hockey Twitter account announced on Friday that Beniers — along with No. 1 overall pick Owen Power and No. 5 overall pick Kent Johnson — would be coming back for the 2021-22 season.
The Kraken will have the rights to Beniers, 18, during his entire college career. But Beniers’ sophomore season at Michigan will almost certainly be his last as few top prospects spend more than two years in college. He could join the Kraken in the spring after the college season ends or wait for training camp in 2022. The Kraken lack some depth at center without him, especially with protected first-liner Yanni Gourde missing the start of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Shortly after the draft in July, Seattle general manager Ron Francis said he would discuss with Beniers the decision whether to return to Michigan or join the Kraken. Beniers said he didn’t know what he would choose, but he did mention a sense of unfinished business at Michigan.
Not only was the 2020-21 season shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Wolverines were forced to withdraw from the NCAA Tournament due to positive tests within the program
“I want to have a real year,” Beniers said in July. “I want to try to make a run at the national championship. Obviously, if that’s not the best decision for my development as a hockey player, so be it. But I think those are kind of some perks and something I kind of want to do. At the end of the day, it’s kind what is the right thing for me to do as a hockey player and as a person.”
Beniers scored 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 24 games during his first college season, which led first-time NHL Draft-eligible players. He was also named to the Big Ten’s All-Rookie team. He played against NHL players at the IIHF World Championship in May. Beniers also won a gold medal with Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championship in January.
“Every kid is different and I think the key is when you go and see them play you want to do what’s right for the kid and make sure that you’re not rushing them,” Francis said after the draft. “The NHL is a heck of a league, they’re big guys, strong guys and fast guys and you want to make sure that when we bring them in you’re giving them the opportunity to be successful.”
Asked what he needs to improve to perform in the NHL, Beniers zeroed on “building strength, building muscle and continued work on scoring goals.”
“I think I have pretty good confidence and a good feel of where I was at and kind of how far I was from playing in the NHL if I could,” Beniers said after the draft. “I think I did pretty well at World Juniors and Michigan. Obviously, Men’s World was a little harder, but I think it was a good mark for where I was at and what I needed to do.
“I think for me it’s continuing to get bigger, stronger. I think that’s what I focused on at the University of Michigan as well as producing offensively and playing my two-way game. I’m not totally sure on how far out I am (from being NHL ready) but I think I’m pretty close. I’ll keep working hard and I’ll be there soon enough.”
This story was originally published August 23, 2021 at 4:15 PM.
