The first draft pick in the history of the Seattle Kraken, Matty Beniers, has signed a seven-year extension with the club worth $50 million, and a cap hit of $7.14 million per season. The 21-year-old was drafted No.2 overall back in 2021 and has quickly made himself a cornerstone in the Kraken’s future.
This is the latest move in a busy summer for GM Ron Francis, who has done his part in shaping the coming years of the franchise.
Risk Worth Taking For The Kraken
At first glance, $7.1 million per year feels like an overpay for a player entering only his third year in the NHL. Diving into it a little deeper, there is a risk, but for the Kraken, considering where they are in the development of their roster, it is a risk worth taking. “Signing Matty to a new contract was a top priority for our offseason,” Francis said of the deal. “We’re looking forward to seeing Matty take the next steps as a player and watching him contribute to many more memorable moments for our franchise.”
Matty Beniers scored 30 goals and 67 points in 61 games for the University of Michigan. In his first year in the NHL, Beniers won the Calder Memorial Trophy, scoring 24 goals and 57 points in the regular season, adding three goals and seven points in 14 playoff games. In 2023-24, he experienced a sophomore slump, scoring 15 goals and 37 points in 77 games.
This down year is what worries people about this deal. The truth is, at that price, if he ends up being the 80-point player that scouts and management project him to be, $7.1 million is a steal. The other factor is that he is only 21 years old, turning 22 in November. There will always be ups and downs with young players, but Beniers is in a great spot to bounce back.
Kraken Could Contend For Years to Come
Extending Beniers, and signing Stephenson earlier this summer, ensures a dynamic one-two punch at center for the next seven years. McCann, Eberle, Schwartz, Burakovsky, and Bjorkstrand are all locked up on the wing for at least the next two seasons. If Shane Wright finally takes that next step this season, the Kraken could have their center position taken care of for the better part of a decade, which is a huge part of consistently competing.
On the defensive end, Dunn, Larsson, and Montour make up a strong top two lines. However, only three D-men are locked up past this season, which will need to be addressed next summer. Overall, the Kraken are in a beautiful position. Heading into October, they only have $4,286 in cap space. However, next summer they will have a $19 million and $42.8 million fee for the 26-27 season, with their core locked up for the next seven years.
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