Matty Beniers, the first-ever Seattle Kraken draft choice, has signed a $50 million contract extension which should keep him yeeting fish to the Climate Pledge Arena faithful through the 2030-31 season.
Beniers and Kraken general manager Ron Francis had two avenues to the new contract. The first was a shorter “bridge” deal at a higher average annual value (AAV). The second was a longer extension at a lower AAV. The two sides eventually agreed on the latter, with the contract carrying an AAV of $7.14 million.
“Matty has been a core part of our team since making his NHL debut, not only on the ice, but in his commitment to our community and our fans,” Kraken General Manager Ron Francis said in a statement.
“Signing Matty to a new contract was a top priority for our offseason, and we are excited to have it done. We’re looking forward to seeing Matty take the next steps as a player and watching him contribute to many more memorable moments for our franchise.”
Francis in the past has said, correctly, that a fair contract is one that leaves both sides “unhappy.” What the player and team both get in this case is the security of a long-term deal, locking in the young center through a period when the league salary cap is expected to significantly rise.
1st Round Pick Impressive In Kraken Debut
The 21-year-old center from the Boston suburb of Hingham, MA, was selected in the 1st round of the 2021 NHL Draft, second overall. He returned to the University of Michigan for the 2021-22 season, racking up 43 points in 37 games. When the Wolverines season ended, Kraken fans got a late season look at their new star. Matty turned heads with three goals and nine points in a 10-game audition.
In Rookie Season, Beniers Awarded Calder Trophy
The magical 2022-23 Kraken season was doubly magical for Beniers. Not only did he score 24 regular season goals and three more in the playoffs, his playmaking demonstrated wisdom beyond his years. What’s more, in 80 regular season games, he was whistled for exactly one minor penalty. Beniers capped off the campaign by winning the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.
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Clock Struck Midnight In Sophomore Season
Last year, the magic disappeared. Matty and the Kraken turned back into pumpkins, collectively suffering a season-long scoring malaise. Beniers didn’t collect his first goal until Nov. 9 against Colorado, his 14th game of the season. Seattle missed the playoffs by a wide margin, coach Dave Hakstol was fired, and only a late-season charge allowed the center to reach 15 goals scored.
What happened? Opponents began game-planning for Beniers, putting their top d-pairings and shutdown forwards on the ice alongside him. They roughed him up at every opportunity, too. With most Kraken forwards offensively slumping right alongside him, Beniers didn’t have anyone other than Jared McCann for rivals to focus on.
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One other thing – this was a contract year. That, and “reigning Calder Trophy winner” were extra burdens on a player in just his second full NHL season. An ancillary benefit of the contract being signed, and ’23-’24 in the rear view, is he no longer will lug those distractions around the ice like a boat anchor.
Work Ethic, Defensive Game Never Wavered
Having said that, Beniers last season admirably retained his work ethic and commitment to the defensive side of his game. Teammates and coaches repeatedly lauded him for continuing to work hard, do it with a great attitude, and not to let his other on-ice responsibilities lapse when the goals weren’t coming.
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I wrote this about Matty on July 31 and it’s worth repeating: Beniers is talented, charismatic, responsible, home-grown, and team-first in that uniquely hockey way. He’s got “face of the franchise” written all over him. Few doubt his best days are still ahead, and that he has the skills and intangibles to carry the Kraken with him.