Modest Meyers ‘Going Every Night’

It’s full credit to Ben Meyers that younger teammates Ryan Winterton and Jacob Melanson know next to nothing about the Kraken forward’s heroics in his home state of Minnesota. Meyers was a superstar for Delano High, 75 miles just outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. He racked up 99 points (46 goals, 53 assists) in 25 games as a senior while leading his school to its first-ever appearance in the hallowed Minnesota state championship hockey tournament. His NCAA career with the University of Minnesota is equally storied. 

To understand the scope of the prep hockey tradition in Minnesota, think Indiana high school basketball or Texas schoolboy football. Or the movies “Hoosiers” and “Friday Night Lights,” respectively, the latter an award-winning television series as well. 

“Wait, what?!” said Winterton as his locker stall this week. “I didn’t know Benny averaged four points per game in high school. I’ve heard he was a big recruit coming out of college. And I know we are lucky to have him.” 

Melanson was equally surprised. 

“It's been a privilege to play with him the last couple years [with AHL Coachella Valley] and now be up here with him,” said Melanson. “I wasn’t aware [of his monster prep scoring and NCAA awards]. It's fun playing with him because he’s going every night. He wants the puck on his stick and wants to compete with his teammates.” 

‘Hair’s' the Scoop on Minnesota Prep Hockey 

For Meyers, the 2017 state tournament was reason enough to engage in the long-standing tradition of a special mohawk haircut before playing in the packed home arena of the Minnesota Wild every March. In fact, Delano High is back as a No. 2 seed at the tournament this week in its first appearance in five years. The 2026 varsity boys happily mimicked the hair styling of the legendary Meyers and provided exclusive barber coverage to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune this week.

“I’m really happy to see our program back in the state tournament,” said Meyers about his high school squad. “It means a lot to the community and is so fun to see as an alum.” 

When asked about his hair styling before he and teammates won the consolation bracket back in the 2017 tourney, Meyers happily revealed, “Yes, I got the mohawk with the side stripes and everything.”

After scoring the winning Kraken goal in Monday’s win over Eastern Conference leader Carolina, Meyers pondered a follow-up question: Maybe it’s time to roll out another mohawk-and-side-stripes look? 

Meyers enjoyed a deep laugh before he could manage a retort: “I don’t have enough hair to do it these days!” 

Becoming Essential to Kraken Playoff Push 

Fair (hair?) enough, but make no mistake: Meyers has become an essential part of the Seattle lineup in ways beyond his six goals and six assists in 35 games [not including STL Wednesday]. Before the Olympic break and an injury that sidelined him for a short stretch of games, Meyers and linemates Melanson and Winterton were integral to the Kraken climbing back into playoff contention.  

Head coach Lane Lambert would tell you as much, especially commending the fourth liner’s tenacious forechecking. Same for veterans such as captain Jordan Eberle and veteran Freddy Gaudreau, who is currently centering Melanson with Meyers moving to left wing. That lineup wrinkle generated the game-winner Monday when Melanson started the scoring play by winning a wall battle in the defensive zone, moving the puck to Adam Larsson.  

The veteran defenseman, on the verge of 1,000 NHL games played, sent the puck to Meyers, who flashed his next-gear speed to hustle up ice through the neutral zone. Meyers passed to Gaudreau upon entering the Carolina zone before zipping net front to take a return pass. Meyers’ super-in-tight first shot did not get past Hurricanes goalie Fredrik Andersen, and Meyers’ second shot bounced off a Carolina shin pad. The third time was a charm as Meyers stood his ground and whacked the puck past Andersen.  

Consider the scoring play as vintage Meyers in both the speedy rush and gritty net front presence. His former NCAA Division I Minnesota teammates, coaches and fans can attest to that Meyers' brand of hockey. As a Golden Gophers co-captain in the 2021-22 season, the now 27-year-old notched two goals and two assists in four games at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, then returned and went on a hot scoring streak to become Big Ten Player of the Year,  an All-American and a Hobey Baker finalist for the NCAA’s top player award. He signed with Colorado as a much-sought-after undrafted free agent after an appearance in the NCAA Frozen Four.

Turning Heads, Earning Two-Year Contract Extension 

Meyers started this season with the Kraken when the aforementioned Gaudreau was on injured reserve. He was reassigned to Coachella Valley in mid-November, proceeding to post a nine-game point streak with no lingering consternation from the demotion. Back up with the Kraken since mid-December, Meyers has impressed in all phases of the game, including stellar work as a penalty-killer-- a role he has handled expertly all the way back to superstar-scoring days in Delano. Kraken GM Jason Botterill rewarded Meyers late last month with a two-year contract extension paying him $1 million annually starting next season.  

“It means a lot,” said Meyers about the multi-year deal after signing a pair of one-year contracts the last two seasons. “I've really enjoyed the last year and a half in this organization, just from the top down. I feel like I've met just about everybody, both the AHL and NHL teams, at this point. Playing with this group [the Kraken] has been a blast. Putting their trust in me for the next two years is awesome.”

“It's not easy going up and down,” said Ryan Winterton, who was also extended two years at $1.25 million per season. “You are changing the playing style, changing leagues, completely different leagues. I’ve kind of done the same thing. It's not the easiest going up and down, moving every couple of weeks or months. But Benny's handled it great. He's a real pro when he goes down. He's the same guy when he comes back up. He goes about his work and grinds and deserves every success.” 

Nod to Mom, Dad and Older Brother 

Meyers said it started early back in Delano with parents, Traci, a radiologist, and Steve, who teaches industrial arts. Steve played college hockey and Ben’s older brother, Nate, was a college baseball player.  

“From a young age, my parents have always said, ‘You’ve got to be a good teammate, even though you may not always like the circumstances,’” said Meyers, whose elders no doubt loved their son’s honor-roll grades in school days.  “That was always the focus.” 

Mission accomplished, said goaltender Jack LaFontaine, who played with Meyers at NCAA Minnesota and, at times, Coachella Valley. LaFontaine has split the last two seasons between the AHL Firebirds and ECHL affiliate Kansas City.  

“Ben’s one of the nicest human beings off the ice,” said LaFontaine. “Then he puts on those skate blades and you get the real Ben Meyers. It’s like the Incredible Hulk, almost. Ben’s competitiveness, there are no words for it. And it’s infectious.  

“I’ve lost track of how many times my blocker [the goalie’s stickhand glove] went into his back [during U Minnesota and Firebirds practices]. He practices like it’s a game. When I see something like that, my switch is going to go on too. Ben is a guy that does it right every day. He doesn’t take any shortcuts.” 

The new contract must surely bring a measure of security and validation of Meyers’ hockey dreams, now that he has surpassed the 100 NHL games mark.  

“Honestly, there’s just not that much time to think about it right now,’ said Meyers, flashing yet another wide grin. “We’ve got a lot of games to play. We're in the hunt for a playoff spot here. That’s forefront in mind. It's all business on the ice right now.”