Two of the Kraken's seven 2021 draft picks will be playing in the Big 10 men's hockey tournament this weekend with semifinal bids at stake. Kraken first-rounder Matty Beniers and his No. 2 tournament seed University of Michigan teammates host rival Michigan State in a best-of-three series Friday through Sunday.
If Michigan advances, it will host a semifinal game next weekend. The Wolverines have defeated MSU nine of their last 10 meetings.
Beniers, back from the Beijing Olympics where he impressed Kraken GM Ron Francis and many more, finished the Big 10 season as the conference's leading scorer with 27 points. He has 37 points overall (17 G, 20 A), marking at the top of the Wolverines' scoring leaderboard (on a team with 13 NHL draft choices, including seven first-round picks).
Prospects Perspective: Big 10 Showdowns
Kraken prospects Matty Beniers and Justin Janicke jump into conference tournament with eyes on possible rematch. Plus, Ron Francis on second-rounder Ryker Evans