Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers, entering his third full season in the NHL, signed a seven-year contract with an annual price tag of $7.1-million per season, the team announced Tuesday.
The deal takes the former 2nd-overall NHL Draft pick (2021) out of his entry-level deal, all the way to unrestricted free agency (UFA) status in 2031 at the age of 28.
It’s a win-win for Beniers and super-agent Pat Brisson. With just two years of professional experience under his belt and coming off the proverbial “sophomore slump” when Beniers put up twenty less points than his rookie season, the dollars and the term are impressive.
— I broke down the Kraken’s concerns and what I thought should happen back in July —
Beniers won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie-of-the-year two seasons ago with 57 points. (Our exclusive post-awards interview with him in Nashville is at bottom). He slipped to 37 last season, part of the reason the Kraken went from being a playoff team to not being one.
There’s no doubting his character and work ethic. The issues revolve around size, strength and the ceiling for his abilities. Seattle GM Ron Francis took a very optimistic approach in doling out this deal.
