Beniers Wins Rookie of Year

As Kraken center Matty Beniers collected the Calder Memorial Trophy hardware for rookie of the year honors at Monday's NHL Awards in Nashville, no finer authority than Hockey Hall of Fame player and Seattle GM Ron Francis says there is way more for fans to anticipate from the 20-year-old's game.

"Matty is a talented hockey player," said Francis in April 2021 when the team announced Beniers joining the Kraken for the last 10 games of the inaugural season after two stellar years with NCAA hockey power Michigan. "This is the start of the process for him. The player you see now is not going to be the player he is five months from now or two years from now. It's going to be a process to continue to grow and get better. We're here to help with that growth."

Consider the growth chart trending way up. Named top rookie by voters of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, Beniers was one of three rookie-of-the-year finalists, joined by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power and Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner. Beniers and Power were Michigan teammates with the defenseman picked No. 1 overall in the 2021 NHL Draft and Beniers going No. 2.

Beniers accepted the award in Nashville wearing a burgundy suit with a crisp white shirt to match spotless white athletic shoes (his impressive playoffs beard shorn). On his way to the stage, Beniers shook hands with a smiling Kraken coach Dave Hakstol, on hand as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award recognizing NHL coach of the year. The newly crowned rookie of the year wanted to make sure get in his thank you's, including Kraken fans.

"I want to start off by thanking the people that have gotten me to this point," said Beniers. "My awesome family has been there every step of the way. The Seattle Kraken organization, the support staff, the coaches, you guys gave me that opportunity. Thank you for that.

"The boys, my teammates, I love you guys ... You taught me so much this year. [My teammates] are a huge reason why I'm up here today. Finally, Seattle, you guys were great all year and you guys made playing in Climate Pledge Arena so fun. and I was so fun ... I love all you fans."

"We're so proud of all that Matty accomplished this season and we're thrilled the Beniers family is in Nashville to share in this moment with him," said Francis Monday. "This win is not only a reflection of his performance on the ice this year, but all of the hard work he put in off it. We know this is just the start for him."

Benier's 10-game debut in April 2022 was impressive (points in nine of the games) and set a high bar for the just completed season in which the rookie played top-six minutes all season and by playoffs time was frequently on ice for important defensive-zone faceoffs, both testaments to his veteran-like all-around game.

The Hingham, MA, native scored 24 goals and added 33 assists in 80 regular-season games to lead rookies in total points and goals (tied), making him the youngest NHL player to record at least 50 points in 2022-23. More rookie highs: Most even-strength points (46) and multi-point performances, plus second with 33 assists and four game-winning goals. He was named to the NHL All-Star Game (withdrawing due to injury) and led all rookies in scoring with three goals and four assists in a dozen games during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Beniers turned heads around the league with defensive prowess, willingness to get net-front in the offensive goal and overall ability to see and make plays and break up opponents' rushes. The discipline in his game showed in many ways, including staying out of the penalty box - he was whistled for just one minor penalty all regular season.

"He's a really good hockey player," said Boston coach Jim Montgomery about Beniers mid-season after the Kraken beat the rookie's hometown Bruins to extend a winning streak to seven games. "He's as good defensively as he's shown offensively. He might even be better defensively. His reads in the D-zone, tracking and then on the forecheck are high-end."

"His skills are off the charts," said Carolina coach Rod Brind'amour, who played center for 20 NHL season. "You see he's got great pace and plays with a lot of confidence. He looks like he has been around a long time and you can't teach that. It's the kind of stuff the great ones all have."

Beniers, of course, was the first Kraken draft choice to play an NHL game. More importantly, he quickly became a cornerstone player for the franchise, validating the work of GM Ron Francis and the Kraken amateur scouting staff.

In another affirmative nod to Seattle hockey operations group, Beniers is the second player in the Kraken organization to win a "Rookie of the Year" award this season, joining playoffs linemate Tye Kartye, who earned the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the American Hockey League's top first-year player. Kartye, undrafted and wisely signed by the Kraken in March 2022, was called up to replace the injured Jared McCann during the playoffs, scoring his first-ever NHL goal on his first-ever NHL.

Seattle is the first organization to have both the NHL and AHL Rookie of the Year in the same season since the Buffalo Sabres in 2010 when Tyler Myers won the Calder Trophy and Tyler Ennis won the Red Garrett Award. Beniers is the first player from an expansion team to win the Calder Trophy within him team's first two seasons since Peter Stastny did so in 1981, the Quebec Nordiques' second season.