Seattle forward Ryan Donato, who skated on a line with Beniers and alternate captain Jordan Eberle during Monday's practice at Kraken Community Iceplex, talked to the Kraken app Monday about his own debut with Boston during the 2017-18 season.
"Looking back to my first game, there's tons of nerves that go into it," said Donato, who has already set a career-high in points for a season and will reach a career mark in goals with his next one. "Every guy says his legs never felt better with all that energy and nerves."
Donato said he has "a calm side" before games these days, knowing "you control only what you can control."
Nonetheless, he added, "you want to get some of that nervousness, that stress a little bit, it's what makes you have that extra jump or extra grit."