Mel Pearson, Beniers' coach at the University of Michigan, called him a coach's dream, because he plays the right way. He has good offensive skill but doesn't cheat defense for offense. He plays the same on the road and at home, the same against top teams and lesser competition. He's the type of player and person around whom you build.
"When you talk about culture and setting a culture, you can't get much better than Matt Beniers, and that's off the ice, on the ice, the way he carries himself," Pearson said over the phone from Ann Arbor, Michigan. "He's very gregarious. When he walks in the door, you can't wait to see him, because he's so positive. He's so outgoing, he just draws people towards him. He makes your room better by not even stepping on the ice, just by being the person he is."
The question is whether Beniers is ready for the NHL or needs more time in college.
"I'm not totally sure how far out I am, but I think I'm pretty close," Beniers said. "I think just keep working hard, and I'll be there soon enough."
On one hand, Beniers showed what he could do by scoring 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 24 games as a freshman at Michigan last season, while helping the United States to gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship and playing against men at the IIHF World Championship.
The Kraken offer immediate opportunity as an expansion team.
On the other, Beniers won't turn 19 until Nov. 5. He's 6-foot-1, 174 pounds, and needs to get bigger and stronger. Pearson said he could become more explosive in his skating and continue to improve on face-offs.
Pearson pointed to forward Cole Caufield, who returned to the University of Wisconsin as a sophomore, won the Hobey Baker Award and ended up starring for the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"He's got to come back and be the best player not only in our league but try to be the best player in college hockey, try to become an All-American," Pearson said. "There's room for growth there. He's a really good player now. He's not far off from playing in the National Hockey League, but you want to dominate at the level you're at before you try to slide into the best league in the world."