The 19-year-old center was selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, the first selection in Kraken history.
Beniers, who agreed to a three-year, entry level contract Sunday, led the University of Michigan with 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) and 10 power-play goals in 37 games as a sophomore this season. Michigan's season ended with a 3-2 overtime loss to the University of Denver in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals in Boston on April 7.
"There's a lot of factors at play," Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said Tuesday. "The biggest is going to be Matty's ability to process the game. He's got a great ability to understand the game and what's going on around him. His hockey sense is very good. His competitiveness is excellent. There's going to be an adjustment for him. This is going to be a great opportunity here over the next month for him to make the transition and understand a little bit more about the game at this level.
"We don't want to overload the computer today. There's a lot going on in a young man's mind, I'm sure, coming in and playing his first game with all that's gone on for him the last few days. Really want to make sure he's clear-minded and has enough information to go out and play the way he wants to play."
Beniers played on a line with Ryan Donato and Jordan Eberle.
"You've just got to enjoy it," Kraken forward Alex Wennberg said. "This is an opportunity of a lifetime to come in and have your first NHL game. You're never going to get that back. Instead of overthinking it or trying too much, just go out and play your game and eventually everything is going to fall into place.
"From the parts I see in his game, he has a really good skill, he's really smart out there. That's great assets to have, to start off, to be a smart center and read the game. It's going to be really exciting to see him play. I know the first-game feeling, how it is. I bet he's a little bit nervous, but I feel like he's going to go out there and enjoy it and make the best out of it."
Beniers scored three points (one goal, two assists) in seven games to help the United States win the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship and played one game in the 2022 WJC before the tournament was postponed due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. He also scored two points (one goal, one assist) in four games for the United States at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
"Over the next 20 days or so, I'm really hoping to just kind of see how it is playing in the NHL, get those first games of experience and try to get my feet under me, hopefully make as much of an impact as I can and learn from the guys around me," Beniers said after practice Monday. "That's what I'm hoping to learn and bring that into next year and come in with a running start instead of just starting from scratch."
NHL.com columnist Nicholas J. Cotsonika and independent correspondent Aaron Vickers contributed to this report
Photo courtesy of Seattle Kraken
