Matthew Beniers (born November 5, 2002) is an American ice hockey center for the University of Michigan of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a prospect of the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Beniers was the first-ever draft selection in the Kraken franchise history, after he was drafted second overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Today we will discuss about Matty Beniers: Dobber| Highlights| Draft| Scouting Report.
Matty Beniers: Dobber| Highlights| Draft| Scouting Report…
During the 2018–19 season, in his first season with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program of the United States Hockey League (USHL), Beniers recorded 10 goals and 13 assists in 42 games. During the 2019–20 season, Beniers was alternate captain for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, where he ranked second on the team in scoring with 18 goals and 23 assists in 44 games.
| Matty Beniers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | November 5, 2002 Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Center | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NCAA team | University of Michigan | ||
| National team |  United States |
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| NHL Draft | 2nd overall, 2021 Seattle Kraken |
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| Playing career | 2021–present | ||
Dobber
Beniers represented the United States at the 2019 IIHF World U18 Championships, where he recorded two goals in seven games and won a bronze medal. Beniers represented the United States at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he was the youngest player on the roster, scoring one goal and two assists and averaging 17:05 of ice time in seven games as a second-line center, helping the United States win gold.
Beniers represented the United States at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, where he was the only draft-eligible player on team USA and won a bronze medal. He became the fifth Wolverine to represent their country at both the World Junior and World Championship in the same season, following Jack Johnson (2007), Jacob Trouba (2013), Dylan Larkin (2015) and Quinn Hughes (2018 and 2019).
Highlights
Beniers was committed to play ice hockey for Harvard, however, after the Ivy League cancelled their season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he enrolled at Michigan in August 2020. Beniers began his collegiate career for the Michigan Wolverines during the 2020–21 season. During his freshman season, he recorded 10 goals and 14 assists in 24 games. He led the conference in on-ice rating with a +21, ranking him eighth nationally. He led first-time NHL Draft-eligible NCAA players in goals, goals per game (0.42) and shots on goal per game. His 24 points ranked third in the league in freshmen scoring and fourth nationally. He recorded his first career goal in his first game of the season.
Draft
Beniers entered the 2021 NHL Entry Draft as one of the consensus top prospects, and was ultimately selected second overall by the Seattle Kraken, becoming the expansion team’s first-ever draft selection. On August 20, 2021, the Wolverines announced that Beniers would return for the 2021–22 season.
Scouting Report
Beniers is an excellent 200-foot player who is always involved in play, even when he isn’t putting up points. He plays both special teams and solid in the faceoff circle. Always seemingly in the right areas of the ice, Beniers reads both his teammates and opponents well. Both a scorer and a playmaker, Beniers is an instinctual player, which allows him to create and find spaces that others may not see at first.
Also an explosive and powerful skater, Beniers will start the forecheck and hunt for pucks. Likened to a machine, when Beniers is moving in the offensive zone, he is difficult to stop. He is a force in corners and extremely difficult to battle for pucks. Beniers also has the ability to carry pucks into the offensive end. He will use his mobility, edgework, and size to blow past defenders in one-on-one situations.
