Though Sunday was a scheduled day off for Seattle Kraken players, there was some big roster news announced. On the last day teams were allowed to place players on waivers before the regular season, Seattle made what appeared to be its final cuts before opening night Wednesday. Defenseman Michal Kempny and forward John Hayden were waived with intent of assigning them to the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. We think this means Cale Fleury and Daniel Sprong have made the team (at least for now).
There’s still some murkiness, as the roster is still over the 23-man limit, but more on that in a bit.
Meanwhile, goalie Joey Daccord and forward Alex True cleared waivers and were assigned to Coachella Valley. Daccord staying in the organization meant Kraken fans could breathe a sigh of relief, as there was plenty of speculation the popular backstop could get snatched up. That would have made the Kraken organization very thin in the goal crease. Remember, Magnus Hellberg got claimed by Ottawa on Monday, so the Kraken were down to Philipp Grubauer, Martin Jones, Daccord, and Callum Booth as viable netminding options for their NHL and AHL teams. Keeping Daccord makes things much easier on that front.
Kraken roster down to 24
There’s still at least one roster move left to come, as Seattle needs to get down to 23 players on its roster before taking on the Ducks on Wednesday. Two remaining players have been banged up in camp, though, so it is our assumption that this piece has already worked itself out. Joonas Donskoi left Seattle’s Sept. 29 preseason game in Vancouver after colliding with Kole Lind in the second period and hasn’t been seen on the ice since. Coach Dave Hakstol has maintained Donskoi is day to day.
Additionally, Jaden Schwartz left Friday’s preseason finale in Edmonton and is also day to day, according to Hakstol. Before going down the tunnel that night, Schwartz was seen holding his upper thigh or groin area. He did not practice on Saturday.
Jaden Schwartz left the game in the second period tonight. Believe this was the last time he was on the ice… pic.twitter.com/PU3EorN3yZ
Our guess is that one of these two players will hit injured reserve, which brings the roster to 23.
Daniel Sprong earned this opportunity
Worth noting, Sprong’s inclusion on the opening night roster has not officially been announced by the team. He also did not participate in practice on Saturday, but Hakstol called it a personal day off the ice. Again, there’s some murkiness, but the fact he didn’t get placed on waivers Sunday tells us Seattle intends to keep him.
It is remarkable to see Sprong still on the roster, considering what has happened with him since last season’s trade deadline. Acquired in the deal that sent Marcus Johansson to Washington, Sprong was not tendered a qualifying offer at the end of the season and became an unrestricted free agent. Without a contract, he entered Kraken camp on a professional try-out and impressed every step of the way.
Sprong scored two goals in the preseason and earned praise from Hakstol for his play in all three zones, a consistent knock on Sprong’s game throughout his NHL career. The improved 200-foot play resulted in Sprong signing a two-way contract worth $750,000 at the NHL level or $325,000 at the AHL level.
Now, it does appear he’ll break camp with the Kraken, and assuming that is the case, it is a well-earned opportunity and a good example of why players accept PTO deals.
Cale Fleury beats out Michal Kempny
We always knew there would be a battle for the seventh and final spot on Seattle’s blue line. From the jump, it was plain to see that Kempny and Fleury were the two combatants trying to beat out one another, and Fleury ended up as the last man standing.
The 23-year-old, right-shot defenseman played 41 games as a rookie for Montreal in 2019-20, but didn’t see NHL action again until February of last season with Seattle. In all, he played nine games with the Kraken in 2021-22 and did not record a point.
Kempny, who has had several major injury issues in recent years, faced an uphill battle after he too got banged up in the Sept. 29 game. He missed several days of camp and spent time in a red non-contact jersey before getting back as a full participant in the last week.
Depth chart
We haven’t confirmed Schwartz or Donskoi will be on IR, but we are guessing at least one will be there, as discussed above. So, with that in mind, here’s how things look for Seattle’s depth chart. Based on how long it has been since Donskoi participated in practice, we predict he will land on IR, opening the spot for Sprong. Lines are, as always, very much subject to change.
Forwards
Jared McCann // Matty Beniers // Andre Burakovsky Jaden Schwartz // Alex Wennberg // Oliver Bjorkstrand Yanni Gourde // Shane Wright // Jordan Eberle Ryan Donato // Morgan Geekie // Brandon Tanev Daniel Sprong Karson Kuhlman Joonas Donskoi (potential IR)
Defense
Vince Dunn // Adam Larsson Jamie Oleksiak // Justin Schultz Carson Soucy // Will Borgen Cale Fleury
Goalies
Philipp Grubauer Martin Jones Chris Driedger (will be on IR, maybe LTIR)
Friday’s Kraken preseason finale against the Edmonton Oilers felt mostly celebratory. At least, it felt celebratory until the last few minutes, when things went sideways… then not… and then sideways again. Philipp Grubauer had a great game, until he tried to clear the puck out of Seattle’s zone late in the third period. The Seattle netminder partially whiffed on the clearing attempt, and the puck caromed off Leon Draisaitl and right into the net with just 4:33 left in the game. Oopsy daisy.
To Seattle’s credit, Jared McCann leveled the score temporarily with a power-play blast at 17:42, but Evander Kane got the game winner just 19 seconds later and sent the Kraken home sad.
Here are our Three Takeaways from the final Kraken preseason game.
Takeaway #1: Daniel Sprong makes his final statement
He would need to clear waivers if the Kraken try to sneak him through to the Coachella Valley Firebirds, so if that’s the play, there’s a chance he gets claimed by another team. Waivers or not, the Dutch forward has put himself in a great position to remain an NHL player this season, something that felt like the opposite of a sure thing a month ago.
In his final opportunity to prove that he belonged, Sprong wasted no time in getting himself on the scoresheet. Will Borgen ripped a slapshot from the right point about 12:45 into the game. Sprong whiffed on the rebound, but he stayed with it, found the puck bouncing around, and popped it over the outstretched pad of Jack Campbell to give the Kraken a 1-0 lead.
“If you want to score in this league, you have to find some of those on the inside,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “[Sprong] was able to do that on that first goal, so working to get inside and be around for some of those second [opportunities], to get them back on net is important, so it was a good goal by him.”
The Kraken had just two power plays in the game, and guess who showed up in the left circle to start the first one. Yes, Sprong was floating in the “Alex Ovechkin office,” waiting for a chance to blast away, but the puck never came to him. Even so, he has surely given this coaching staff a very difficult decision to make.
If Sprong does stay, who goes?
Takeaway #2: Did Jaden Schwartz get injured?
One of the refreshing sights to see in this training camp has been Jaden Schwartz seemingly at full strength. The top-six forward missed significant time last season with an undisclosed upper-body injury, but has spoken positively about his health status during camp.
He left Friday’s game in the second period and did not return. With just over 12 minutes left in the frame, Schwartz took a light tap on the left hand, then went to the bench and appeared to be holding his upper thigh area.
Jaden Schwartz left the game in the second period tonight. Believe this was the last time he was on the ice… pic.twitter.com/PU3EorN3yZ
It is hard to say from the video above what happened to him, but a healthy Jaden Schwartz is hugely important for Seattle’s chances this season. Here’s hoping it’s nothing serious.
Takeaway #3: Plenty of positives
A 5-3 loss wasn’t the outcome Kraken fans would have wanted, but 4-2-0 is a fine preseason record. And frankly, Seattle had every chance to win that game on Friday, save for an ugly miscue late in the game and a lack of focus seconds after scoring to make up for said miscue.
Things we liked were Sprong showing up again, Grubauer’s game through two and a half periods (until the late mishandle), McCann getting on the board for the first time this preseason, and Matty Beniers scoring his fourth goal in four outings.
“There were a lot of good pieces,” Hakstol said. “Tonight was more complete than we’ve been in the first four.”
This team looks much better than it did last preseason, from the goal crease out. As we head to the regular season, there is a lot to like about this roster, regardless of who the last few cuts end up being.
“You don’t get second chances now, we start next week,” added Hakstol. “We’ve had a hard-working camp. You know, we have a lot of guys that have had good camps, now we have a couple of days to get a little bit of rest, and then it’s for real, and we’ll get going in four or five days.”
With the season opener only a week away, we felt the time was nigh to take stock in what we’ve seen from the Seattle Kraken in preseason and training camp and look ahead to which players will be impactful in the team’s second year.
Our own Darren Brown and Curtis Isacke got together for a written discussion that assigns predictive superlatives to certain members of the team.
Enjoy!
Most improved
Darren Brown – I think there are two obvious answers for this first one, but I’ll say the one I think is most conspicuous and important and see if Curtis takes the bait for the other one.
The Kraken need Philipp Grubauer to be better this season, no doubt, but it also feels like this is an extremely safe bet for a player that will be much improved compared to 2021-22.
There were 53 goalies that played at least 25 NHL games last season. Of those 53 goalies, Grubauer ranked 53rd in save percentage at .889, yet his career save percentage is .914. In 2020-21 in Colorado, he was outstanding with a .922 save percentage and 1.95 goals against average and was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. He may not return to that level, but last season is certainly an outlier when you consider his body of work.
What’s really encouraging on the Grubauer front, though, is that he has looked confident and solid in training camp and preseason. He has said positive things about working with new goalie coach Steve Briere, and in a game and a half of preseason action, he has not allowed a goal.
Even a mediocre season for Grubauer could mean a lot more wins for the Kraken.
Philipp Grubauer tends his goal in a preseason game on Sept. 27 against the Flames. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Curtis Isacke – I know I’m inviting a rejoinder from the perspective of a goaltender, but, from the outside, large variations in goaltender performance from season to season are not atypical. And precedent suggests we should see a very large bounceback from Seattle’s German-born netminder. Given the incredible importance of goalie play to wins and losses, Grubauer is a good choice, Darren, and probably the right one.
Beyond Grubauer, there are several candidates that underperformed last year and could be expected to “improve” this season. Joonas Donskoi is particularly notable, but I’m not certain he’ll receive the regular ice time this season necessary to facilitate a rebound.
So, if we’re talking about statistical improvement, I’ll go with Alex Wennberg. I thought he had a bit of an up-and-down first year with Seattle, but he certainly was not a bad player by any means. I’m picking him because I think the 28-year-old will be in a prime position to excel this year. On one side, he will have a legitimate top-six scorer in either Andre Burakovsky or Oliver Bjorkstrand (it seems to be trending toward the latter), and on the other side he may be supported by the skating tornado that is Yanni Gourde. After compiling just 37 points last season, I’ll project Wennberg tops 50 points this year (let’s say 12 goals and 43 assists) and, on the defensive end, sheds the ghastly +/- of -26.
I think Matty Beniers is primed to take the biggest leap in terms of overall contribution to the team, but I doubt he’ll exceed or come close to maintaining his point pace from last year over a full 82 games. Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Tanev can certainly be expected to return more value this year, but their situations are injury-related. Who was the second player you were thinking of, Darren? I’ll guess Donskoi.
DB – No rejoinder from me. Growing up as a goalie, I would stink one year and be great the next. It just happens. And Donskoi is correct. Good guess.
Surprise player to “take a step”
CI – When I think about a player “taking a step,” I think of a young player developing and improving at the NHL level. With the Kraken short on such players – only two likely to have regular roles come to mind – I’ll go with Will Borgen. The 25-year-old defenseman has size and speed and uses his impressive physicality to deny the blue line and clear the goal crease. What’s more encouraging, he showed improved stick skills last year, and that has carried over into camp this season. (There have even been calls for Will Borgen to take a turn in shootouts. I won’t go there, but he has been better.) The opportunity is there to play a full season and deliver solid/average production.
Will Borgen could play a bigger role for the Kraken this season. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
If we’re not confining this to young players, my surprise pick is Justin Schultz. I think there are plenty of reasons to be concerned about his defensive game at even strength, but if he is given the opportunity to run the first unit power play, he should deliver a lot of value there. As an aside, in my ideal world, I’d send out five forwards on the first unit, with Matty Beniers running things from the blue line, but I don’t think coach Dave Hakstol will do that. Short of that, Schultz is clearly the best bet in my opinion. He moves well with the puck, makes good decisions in space, and can deliver accurate passes.
DB – I love that Borgen call. Anecdotally speaking, it does seem like he’s primed to play a regular role this season. With him and fellow right-shot defensemen Schultz and Adam Larsson, Seattle could have a nicely balanced blue line for the first time.
Also, for the record, I do not agree with your premise of putting five forwards on the power play, and I’m quite content with Matty in the right circle.
For my pick, I *want* to go with Morgan Geekie here, but he still seems destined for a bottom-six or even thirteenth-or-fourteenth forward role. So, instead, I’m going to go with another fairly obvious option and say Shane Wright.
General manager Ron Francis said to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he thinks Wright will be with the team all season. If that comes to fruition, it will be fun to watch Wright develop as an NHLer before our eyes.
In his preseason performances, he hasn’t jumped off the page, but there have been moments of brilliance. We expect a relatively slow start, but as he adjusts to the speed of the game, don’t be surprised to see Wright producing and playing a key role in the second half of the season.
Leading scorer
DB – Alright, I know we’re still supposed to be tempering expectations for the 19-year-old rookie, but I’m going to go with the grain and with what my eyes have seen in camp and preseason. Matty Beniers looks even better than he did during his 10-game stint at the end of last season, when he scored nine points. He’s stronger now, his shot is more lethal than I remember, and he looks comfortable in his surroundings.
The proof has been in the pudding so far, as he has goals in all three of the preseason games he’s played, all coming off wicked shots. We expect Beniers to center one of the top two lines all season long and be a shooter on the top power play unit. With those opportunities should come plenty of points, and–dare I say–Calder Trophy consideration.
Matty Beniers looks ready to take a leading role for the Kraken. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
CI – As bizarre as it is to type, I’d agree that Beniers probably should be the betting favorite to lead the team in points. The two point leaders from last season – Jared McCann (50) and Yanni Gourde (48) – haven’t even been skating with the first unit power play so far so I would not necessarily expect total point production improvement from either player. Andre Burakovsky and Oliver Bjorkstand will be considered wildly successful acquisitions if they get into this same range. With Beniers “off the board” so to speak, I’ll go back to Alex Wennberg. I predicted 55 points for him and I guess I’ll say that narrowly leads the team. What do you think, Darren? Any world in which Alex Wennberg is your leading scorer? And, if not Beniers, who?
DB – I did not expect Wennberg as your rebuttal. I would have expected McCann as your second choice, though I have a weird hunch he will regress a bit from his career year. If Wennberg is the leading scorer in terms of points, it will mean one of his linemates has put up a huge number of goals, because I wouldn’t expect Wennberg to shoot nearly enough to fill the net himself. Interesting pick, though.
Prospect to watch
CI – You know I’m ready to go deep on prospects, Darren. And I was tempted to spend three paragraphs expressing my genuine interest in seeing what high schooler Ben MacDonald does with the West Kelowna Warriors of the BCHL.
But my actual answer to the question of which prospect I’m most interested to see this year is the prospect closest to, but not in, the NHL: Ryker Evans. The 20-year-old blueliner got more ice time this preseason with the Kraken, and, while there were certainly rough moments, I was encouraged by what I saw on balance. He plays with aggression and skill offensively and through the neutral zone. Impressive stuff for a younger player.
The Seattle blue line has a number of question marks looking past this year. Will Vince Dunn deserve a new contract? Will Carson Soucy return? Can Will Borgen or Cale Fleury justify a long-term role? All of this means there is opportunity for Evans. Will he seize it? I’m curious to find out.
DB – I’m shocked you didn’t take Wright. I had mentally prepared myself to write a blurb on Evans, but since you went that direction, and since I already commented on Wright above, I’ll throw a curveball here and say Jagger Firkus. I don’t expect him to make the NHL for a couple seasons, but he will be on a good Moose Jaw Warriors team and should have a ton of confidence returning to the WHL after a positive NHL training camp. Can he top his 80 points in 66 games from last season?
Offseason acquisition that makes the biggest impact
DB –I’m glad I get to go first here. Oliver Bjorkstrand is my pick. I love this guy’s game in all three zones, and although he hasn’t found the scoresheet too many times in preseason, there have been flashes of brilliance that make me think he’s going to be a key contributor.
There may be a bit of an adjustment period, which could make it difficult for Bjorkstrand to replicate the 28 goals he potted in 2021-22 in Columbus. But, he showed good chemistry on a line with former teammate Wennberg and Gourde against the Canucks on Saturday, and he will play big minutes.
CI – Yes, Darren, Bjorkstrand is the pick. I mentioned that Justin Schultz could bring a big boost to the power play, but I think if there is another offseason acquisition that could threaten Bjorkstrand, it has to be Andre Burakovsky. Burakovsky is an elite shooter. But he doesn’t shoot as much as you might expect and has not topped 22 goals in any season. If the team can figure out a way to isolate Burakovsky as a shooter, and the 27-year-old forward adopts the right mentality, I could certainly see a 30-goal campaign in his future. If that were to happen this year, you could fairly argue Burakovsky had the biggest impact.
Team MVP
CI – For all of the changes to this team, I think Yanni Gourde is the guy here. The fans got it right last year, and Yanni should keep the belt (fish?) as team MVP for at least one more year. He should be one of the three or four best skaters on the team, and he is one of the clear emotional and inspirational leaders. The total package is too much for any other player to overcome. If Beniers is a point-per-game player as a rookie and wins the Calder Trophy, get back to me, I guess. What do you think, Darren?
DB – Beniers all the way. I’m sticking to my guns from above and saying he’s going to have a fantastic season. I genuinely think that–even at 19 years old–he’s Seattle’s best player, assuming he can maintain confidence and battle through the rigors of an 82-game NHL season.
Signing Andre Burakovsky was Seattle’s biggest splash in the 2022 free agency period. Acquiring Oliver Bjorkstrand in a trade from Columbus was the team’s most consequential offseason move overall. But, if the Kraken make a push up the standings in their second season, it will likely be because rookie holdover Matty Beniers has arrived on the scene as a top-of-the-lineup player. Setting aside the goaltenders, no Seattle player has the potential to make a bigger difference in year two.
Like my previous player breakdowns, I have compiled all of Matty’s shifts from three of his games in a playlist on Youtube for you to follow along. Here are links to each of the separate videos:
Additionally, here is a compilation of all of Matty Beniers’s scoring points for the Kraken in 2021-22:
Overview
A blend of elite secondary skills and uncertainty as to how his skills will translate at the highest level, particularly across a grinding NHL schedule, leaves a wide range of potential outcomes for Matty Beniers in 2021-22. I am bullish on Beniers as a top-six center long term, but it is likely best to keep immediate expectations in check. If the trajectory of players with comparable skill sets is any indication, we may see a transition year before Beniers settles into top-of-the-lineup production next year.
Player profile
Beniers, a 19-year-old left shot center, is a native of Hingham, Mass. He spent two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2018-19 and 2019-20 before committing to attend Harvard University and play for the Crimson in 2020-21. When the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Ivy League to cancel the 2020-21 season, Beniers shifted gears and committed to the University of Michigan.
Beniers was a point-per-game player for the star-studded Wolverines as a true freshman and emerged as a consensus top-10 player in the 2021 draft. Some public scouting sources, including Elite Prospects, had Beniers as their top available prospect in that draft. Ultimately, Seattle selected Beniers with the second overall pick, making him the franchise’s first ever entry draft selection.
Beniers returned to the University of Michigan for his Sophomore season with Frozen Four and national title aspirations in mind. Abounding with talent but lacking the upperclassman leadership and grit that national champions often bank on, and perhaps crippled by a dysfunctional coaching situation, the Wolverines fell short of their goal. Individually, however, Beniers’s play continued to trend up, and Matty earned plaudits for his play on the Team USA at the 2021 Olympic Games.
After the Wolverines season ended, the 6-foot-2, 175-pound Beniers signed his Seattle contract and joined the Kraken with ten games remaining on the 2021-22 schedule. As fans likely recall, he impressed right away. He recorded his first point on a pinpoint cross-ice pass in his first game and notched his first goal in his first game in the Emerald City.
Beniers was deployed as Michigan’s most trusted forward in 2021-22, logging obscene minute totals due to his placement among Michigan’s top-six forwards and his role on both the power play and penalty kill. He played in most crucial situations and did many of the little things that helped that team get as far as it did.
With Seattle, Beniers was thrust into a prominent role right away, logging time on the first unit power play together with top-nine forward minutes.
While his per-game usage was significant, it is simply a fact that Beniers has never faced anything resembling the grind of an NHL season. Indeed, if all goes according to plan this season, Matty will play in more games this year than he has in his previous two hockey seasons combined. Shane Wright – a player often criticized for missing time when he chose not play abroad during the 2020-21 OHL shutdown – nonetheless recorded more games on the ice last year alone than Beniers did in his two seasons with Michigan and his short stint in Seattle.
Beniers told the media at Kraken camp that he added north of 10 pounds this offseason in an effort to meet the physicality of the NHL game. Theoretically, this added strength should help him meet the demands of the longer season too, but it is one of the bigger question marks on Beniers heading into this year. For a player that survives on short area quickness and elusiveness, what happens when the grind of the schedule takes a half stride out of his game?
Having returned to every minute of Beniers’s brief stint with the Kraken in spring 2022, I’m here with good news: You remember Matty played well, but he was even better than you remember.
His creativity on offense with the puck on his stick, skating agility, excellent passing, and committed and intelligent work off the puck are a strong base for a player that should make the game very easy for his linemates moving forward.
High-end vision and anticipation on the puck
If Beniers ascends to elite status as player, it will likely be on the strength of his map-like understanding of the ice and the positioning and expected movements of the players around him. At any place on the rink or moment in the game, Beniers has a seemingly innate ability to process and diagnose the most favorable possession plays to neutralize an opposing check. This manifests in tight area passes, dekes, and tight turns. In open ice, he is able to read and solve for the most favorable play, skating or passing, with tremendous efficiency.
At his best, Beniers makes the game look simple and easy in the way some great ones do. Anticipation and vision are the skills that set apart Sidney Crosby, for example. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that Beniers is the next Sid. All I mean is: this “unflashy” skill can be a baseline for a truly excellent player in this league.
Above-average off-the-puck positioning and play diagnosis
Beniers also does very good, subtle work off the puck. He gets to free areas to make himself available for a pass or shot to keep a play going. For his first goal as a professional, he read that there was going to be a scramble at the net front and crashed to be in position for a rebound. A lesser player may have hung back on the periphery in this scenario.
Similarly, in this clip he beats the checking defender to the slot and receives a centering pass and directs it on goal for a high-danger chance.
Above-average transition possession, skating speed, and agility
Matty Beniers has strong puck possession skills to match above-average skating and agility. Assembled together this package makes for a fearsome transition player capable of breaking a neutral zone trap by himself. In this clip, he receives an aerial pass and achieves a zone entry with almost comical hand-eye coordination. Here, Beniers’s ability to control into the zone against pressure leads directly to a goal. The Kraken were lacking in this skill set at times last year, which caused the team to rely heavily on less efficient dump-and-chase plays. Beniers has the skills to be a transition game focal point for his line.
Above-average backchecking and defensive support
Beniers is not yet a high-end defensive forward, but he shows certain traits that suggest he may ultimately carve out a strong defensive reputation. In defensive transition, Beniers has the mindset of a third defender. He makes best use of his above-average speed on backcheck after quad-killing backcheck. He is also fully committed to getting low and supporting the defenders when the opponent is established in the zone. He often keys or supports a defensive zone breakout from below the circles, and he shows significant stick skills as a defender. On the other hand, he needs to add physicality if he is going to stand up to the toughest defensive zone assignments at the next level.
Beniers’s NCAA shot analytics suggest he will bring value as a shooter by beating his expected goal rates based on shot type and positioning on the ice. On the other hand, entire games will go by without Beniers recording a shot. As Beniers matures he needs to make sure this is not a frequent occurrence.
Having said all this, Beniers may have answered any lingering questions about his shooting ability in Monday’s preseason game against Edmonton.
At this point, Beniers cannot play a stout, physical game. He has plenty of length to succeed, but he entered the league with a strikingly slight frame. He thinks the game at such a high level, he is able to navigate himself away from contact and activate his stick to win battles when his body cannot. Even so, his limited physical strength costs him at times. For example, in this clip, he knows he doesn’t have the strength to A-frame along the boards, so he tries to flip the puck away, but concedes a turnover.
That said, Beniers and the Kraken know his lack of size could hold him back. Beniers admitted he prioritized adding some size this offseason and does look stronger already. Still, his ability to hold his own physically at the NHL level is a question mark in the short term.
But I have few concerns (aside from injury questions) long term. If his physical play can take a half stride forward, he should not have any difficulty winning his share of puck battles based on his strong stick skill. He’ll never be the biggest guy, but his mental game should be enough.
Below-average faceoff production
Beniers checked in slightly below bar on faceoffs during his time at Michigan, though that should be balanced against the fact that he was frequently checking top-level competition. In his brief stint with Seattle, Beniers won just 42.4 percent of his draws. A minor but important area for improvement, particularly if the goal is to trust Beniers’s responsible two-way play at the end of close games.
Maturity and focus to be determined
Watching the tape, you will find moments of immaturity from Beniers. In this clip, he finishes a check seemingly out of frustration, but it takes him out of position to set up the neutral zone trap or backcheck. He also can rely a bit too much on his stick skill at times and play himself into a mistake where a simpler play would have sufficed. On this play, he probably eased off his backcheck thinking his defenders had possession in hand; but, ultimately, his check gets free and scores. All of these things are not unexpected from a young player, but they serve as a useful reminder that he is young.
As with any young, skilled player, whether he hits his ceiling depends in large part on what goes on between the ears. Beniers needs to show he can learn and adapt as defenses start to key in on him, likely with a physical edge. He needs to display mental stamina across a long season. While I think there is good cause to be optimistic, he needs to go out there and show it, day in and day out.
Projecting Beniers to the Kraken
Beniers has a slippery, creative offensive toolkit. He is capable of keying offense with high-level transition play and offensive zone passing. To my eyes, he projects as a Robert Thomas-like player in his prime. A high-end facilitator that glues together and drives offense for his line. Thomas notched nine goals and 24 assists as a 19-year-old before hitting point-per-game status as a 22-year-old this past year. I could envision Beniers with a comparable career trajectory moving forward. Another pass-first center that comes to mind, David Krejci, similarly displayed modest production in his first year – six goals and 21 assists – before breaking out with 73 points in his second year.
On the one hand, I wouldn’t be surprised if Beniers outperforms Robert Thomas’s age 19 season based on opportunity alone; early reports from camp have Beniers on the first power play unit, for example. But there will be ups-and-downs as Matty looks for his footing during a long NHL season. How will he look in the second half of a back-to-back in March? We do not know the answer and it would be foolhardy to assume there will not be quiet, rough stretches for the young center. But I’m looking forward to tracking him all year. There’s no player more essential to the team’s long-term future.
SEATTLE – Kraken goalie Magnus Hellberg was born in Sweden, but hockey has taken the 31-year-old all across the globe, literally. His latest stop is here in Seattle as he looks to find a home with the Kraken.
“I love to compete, and I always want to play at the highest level I can, and I think I’ve been doing that for a long time now,” the 6-foot-5 Hellberg said. “I’ve had the opportunity to play in the Olympics for Team Sweden and the World Championships. I’m really excited to be part of the Kraken now and showcase myself to be able to play in the National Hockey League. This is where I want to be.”
Hellberg got his first taste of Kraken hockey and Climate Pledge Arena Tuesday night, finishing the latter half of the game and kicking away all 15 shots the Calgary Flames put on him.
He said that coming into a game midway through is not ‘optimal’ but could easily happen during any regular season game, and he prepares as if he’s going to play each night. Greeted with shots early in his stint Tuesday is just how he likes it.
“I feel the faster you get a shot and a save in, it makes you feel a lot better,” Hellberg said. “No, I can’t complain about that.”
Hellberg carries himself with an easy-going demeanor, and it’s hard to imagine that he’d complain about anything.
He’s seen the world playing hockey starting with time in the NHL, AHL, and the Kontinental Hockey League in China. He’s been called up and down over his North American career, he’s been traded, and now he’s in Seattle hoping to crack the roster.
Hellberg was the first goalie selected in the 2011 NHL Draft to the Nashville Predators, who picked him in the second round. He would make his North American pro debut the next season, playing mostly in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals and a brief stint in the ECHL with the Cincinnati Cyclones. He made his NHL debut during a brief call-up in 2013-14 when he appeared in one game with the Predators.
In 2015-16 he got one more NHL game, this time with the New York Rangers, and again the following season he’d be called up to New York for two games as an injury replacement. Before the start of the 2017-18 season, he made the jump to the KHL and started in China with the Kunlun Red Star.
China was hoping to compete in the Olympics but weren’t part of a top pro league, so the Red Star were born and joined the Russian KHL. China has never been a hockey hot bed.
“When I was there, that was the second season they had a team,” Hellberg said. “The hockey interest wasn’t that high in the beginning. We didn’t have that many fans, but I think it’s been growing and growing. And I think now there’s a lot more people playing hockey in China compared to a couple years.”
After four more seasons in the KHL – mostly with SKA St. Petersburg where he was traded after posting a .926 save percentage in Kunlun – he played one game in the NHL with Detroit last season and became a free agent.
He put up good numbers during his KHL playing years and felt the competition was good.
Magnus Hellberg saw his first action with the Seattle Kraken Tuesday night in a preseason game against the Calgary Flames. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
“I would say it’s the second-best league in the world after the NHL,” Hellberg said. “There’s a bunch of guys that are really skilled in the KHL who would easily play in the NHL. But obviously in the NHL, it goes a lot faster. Everybody overall is a lot better here. Of course, you can’t compare it to the NHL but KHL is right behind.”
As a free agent this summer he would eventually land in Seattle. He’s posted good numbers at every stop he’s played a full season and now joins the Kraken goalie group along with Philipp Grubauer, Martin Jones, and Joey Daccord.
“I had a couple teams interested in me, but Seattle took the lead,” he said. “When this opportunity came up for me it was a no brainer. I felt it’s a new organization, you can be part of something and build something special here. Heard that the fans are great.
“[My goals in camp are to] focus on myself, showcase who I am as a person and what I stand for as a goalie. Just trying to stop as many pucks as possible, and at the end of the day, I want to be on the roster here in Seattle.”
Hellberg says the relationship with the rest of the goalies is positive, and even though they’re all competing for a crowded net, they also push and cheer for each other.
Whether he makes the roster remains to be seen, but he already has won the goalie gear competition for the Kraken, and maybe the league. His pads, made by Brian’s Custom Sports, are as good as they come and have garnered league-wide attention.
They feature what appears to be a stretched-out version of the Kraken logo with the manufacturer’s logo set in where the red eye is.
“I’m really happy how they turned out,” Hellberg said. “I always do the design with the pads first and then I tried to match the helmet with my painter back in Sweden, and we kind of do it so everything matches. I like to have cool gear and obviously that’s one of the reasons I became a goalie, dreaming about getting your own set of gear… look good play good, right?”
Hellberg may be a long shot at making the Kraken roster but could end up in the AHL with Coachella Valley and give the Kraken always important goalie depth. If an injury does occur, there could be another call-up in his future.
New position for Yanni Gourde?
Wednesday’s training camp sessions featured the Kraken doing a lot of work on the transition game. That included drilling on puck retrieval in their own zone, and there was a lot of five-on-five action.
There were some new line combinations as well.
“There’s some lines that we’ll leave together for a couple days that we want to see,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “We shifted today, and we’ll try to shift into some of these looks over the next three days and give them a game or two.”
Most notable of the new lines was in the morning session when Matty Beniers was playing with Andre Burakovsky and Jared McCann on the wings. In the afternoon, Oliver Bjorkstrand played with Alex Wennberg at center and Yanni Gourde on the other side.
Yanni Gourde played on the wing Wednesday during Kraken training camp (Brian Liesse photo)
Gourde, who did play a little wing last season, is familiar with the position and told the Sound Of Hockey podcast that he would play anywhere.
“Wherever he plays, he brings pace and tenacity,” Hakstol said. “He’s very comfortable playing both [positions] and most importantly, he’s willing to… It’s what you want to hear. There’s no big explanation or sit down needed in Yanni’s case, he’s just all into whatever the team needs.”
Kraken trim down roster
The Kraken announced roster moves on Wednesday and returned several junior prospects back to their respective teams.
Jagger Firkus was sent back to the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League. Fellow second-round pick David Goyette will return to the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL, and Tucker Robertson will go back to the Peterborough Petes. The North Bay Battalion get back Ty Nelson and Kyle Jackson.
Jacob Melanson, who received a two-game suspension from the NHL for his match penalty hit to the head against Edmonton on Monday, was returned to the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
“You want them to grow from their experience here,” Hakstol said. “I believe all of them did. All their experiences were maybe a little bit different, but they all had good opportunities just to be around this environment and this atmosphere. Kind of dip their toe in the water a little bit to see what is in their future now, and take that focus and go back to their to their own club and have a great year and be motivated from it.”
