Beniers Named Alternate Captain

Team USA announced its leadership team for the upcoming 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship. The Kraken's first-round draft choice, Matty Beniers, will serve as an alternate captain.
Last December, Kraken 2021 first-round draft choice Matty Beniers went to Team USA training camp as one of the youngest players invited. He not only made the squad, his skating and stick work in all zones on the ice impressed the hockey world as the U.S. won gold at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship. He scored a goal and added two assists along with winning copious puck battles.

Beniers has 11 goals and 11 assists for the University of Michigan, with a +16 plus-minus rating, which means he has been on the ice for 16 more goals scored by the Wolverines compared to goals against. It's a bit of a crude stat because there are other factors than just the individual player, but Beniers is co-leader in the rating on a team that has seven first-round NHL draft choices and six more drafted players on the roster. He is co-leader in goals too.

Beniers and five more 2022 teammates were gold medalists last January. Defenseman Jake Sanderson (Ottawa, 2021 first round, No. 5 overall) was named captain Tuesday and forward Landon Slaggert (Chicago, 2020 third round, No. 79 overall) and defenseman Brock Faber (Los Angeles second round, No. 45 overall) were named alternate captains along with Beniers (2021, No. 2 overall).
The other gold medalists on the current USA squad are forward Brett Berard (NY Rangers, 2020 fifth round, No. 134 overall) and defenseman Tyler Kleven (Ottawa, 2020 second round, No. 44 overall).
Team USA starts preliminary group action Sunday vs. Slovakia (6:30 p.m., NHL Network). The American squad will play Team Finland in a pre-tournament game Thursday at 11 a.m.