Beniers vows to do 'whatever I can' to help carry Kraken back to playoffs

Matty Beniers wants to raise the bar for himself and the Seattle Kraken this season.

The winner of the 2023 Calder Trophy, voted as NHL rookie of the year, has high expectations as he looks to bounce back from a disappointing second season and is hoping to lead the Kraken in its return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“For me, first and foremost, I want to be back in playoffs like everybody else on this team," the 21-year-old center said Thursday, "so I think for me, it’s doing whatever I can to help this team win.

"I want to be someone that’s driving offense and creating momentum for this team and producing. That’s something I want to be doing and also playing a good two-way game defensively, playing against their top guys and being able shut them down as well, so those are the expectations.”

The Kraken (34-35-13) finished sixth in the Pacific Division last season and failed to qualify for the playoffs, one season after a fourth-place finish in the Pacific (46-28-8) and making the playoffs as the first wild card from the Western Conference. In its first postseason after joining the NHL as an expansion team in 2021-22, Seattle defeated the defending Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference First Round before losing to the Dallas Stars in seven games in the second round.

Beniers' path followed a similar trajectory; he had 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 77 games last season, down from 57 points (24 goals, 33 assists) in 80 games in his Calder campaign the season before.

“There was a little bit of change within the team which will help things out a little bit,” Beniers said. “I think we have to get back to making more plays, being a little bit more connected as a team.

"I felt like last year, as a team, we were a little bit disconnected overall. There’s a lot of little things that I think we’ve been cleaning up over (training) camp, getting more connected, getting on the same page as a team and doing all the little things that you may not think are huge, but when you’re on and you’re doing it, you’re really playing together as a group of five.”

In an attempt to be more productive this season, Beniers added roughly 10 pounds of muscle, making him stronger on the puck.

“I think it’s super important to just being able to have a little bit more size in the corner, keeping guys off the puck," he said. "A little more puck protection, it creates a little more space for yourself.

"A little more size helps in different areas, a little bit more power. It’s been good to feel that and get use to that, especially going in the corners. You just have to keep it on and continue to build on that.”

Beniers will need to have a bounce-back season offensively to help Seattle get back to the postseason. For their part, the Kraken have confidence in that partnership after they signed the No. 2 pick of the 2021 NHL Draft to a seven-year, $49.98 million contract (average annual value $7.14 million) on Aug. 20.

“It means a lot, especially being a young guy being early in my career, them putting faith in me that they want me here for years to come,” Beniers said. “I’m extremely grateful and it’s put more onus on me to continue to get better every game and every year and continue to produce.”

Beniers will be playing for a new coach this season after Seattle hired Dan Bylsma to replace Dave Hakstol on May 28. Bylsma won the Stanley Cup as coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.

“So far he [Bylsma] has been really good, he brings a lot of energy to the group (and) that’s fun to be around,” Beniers said. “He really does know his X's and O's too, but overall, he’s a pretty straightforward guy. He kind of tells you want he wants and it’s up to us to go out and execute. It’s been really good so far.”

Bylsma said Beniers is expected to start the season on the top line for the Kraken, playing between forwards Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle.

“He’s determined," Bylsma said. "I wouldn’t say he’s got a chip on shoulder, but he didn’t like how last year went and both in his offseason work ... and his mindset he’s a determined to turn it the other way.

“I think the expectations are probably always a little too high on young players. They’re 18- and 19-year-old kids and he did outstanding in his rookie season. I think just early on, the disappointment of not returning to the scoresheet very often set in last season. That’s not the player he is and I have full confidence he is going to turn it the other way.”

Heading into his third NHL season, Beniers represents a bright future in Seattle. The Kraken have added several talented veterans this offseason, including forward Chandler Stephenson and defenseman Brandon Montour, to help fuel a turnaround.

“I think Matty is an outstanding player, he’s got speed and skill and the tenacity,” Bylsma said. “He’s a determined player through and through, and I think as that continues to grow and continues to show, the results will follow.”