Top Kraken prospect Matty Beniers named to U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey roster
Seattle Kraken prospect Matty Beniers was named to the 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team on Thursday.
Beniers is one of 25 players that will represent USA Hockey at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China from Feb. 3-20. In December, the NHL announced that it wouldn’t be sending players to the Olympics due to a COVID-19 surge and subsequent game postponements. Instead, the Olympic roster consists of 15 current NCAA players, eight European pros and two players from the AHL.
Beniers, 19, is the youngest player on the roster.
Selected No. 2 overall by the Kraken in the 2021 Entry Draft, Beniers decided in August to return to Michigan for his sophomore season.
“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. This season, Beniers is second on Michigan’s roster in goals with 12. He also has 14 assists for a total of 26 points. in 23 games. He was named a Team USA assistant captain for the 2022 World Juniors team, but the tournament was canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak. He did play on the 2021 team.
Beniers will play under head coach David Quinn and general manager John Vanbiesbrouck.
This story was originally published January 13, 2022 at 3:09 PM.
