The Seattle Kraken have signed restricted free-agent center Matty Beniers to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.14 million, the team announced Tuesday.
Beniers, who was the Kraken’s first-ever draft pick, won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie after scoring 24 goals and recording 57 points in 80 games during the 2022-23 season. In his second season, Beniers’ performance saw a decline, with 15 goals and 37 points in 77 games as the Kraken failed to make the playoffs for the second time in their first three seasons.
However, Beniers showed improvement in faceoffs, winning 47.4% of his draws in his second year, compared to 42.2% in his first.
Seattle selected Beniers with the second overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. At 21 years old, he is considered a key piece of the franchise.
“Matty has been a core part of our team since making his NHL debut, not only on the ice but in his commitment to our community and our fans,” said general manager Ron Francis in a statement. “Signing Matty to a new contract was a top priority for our offseason, and we are excited to have it done. 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.”
Beniers has established himself as the Kraken’s first-line center. During his rookie season, the Kraken outscored opponents 63-41 and controlled 52.6% of the expected goals at five-on-five with Beniers on the ice, according to data from Natural Stat Trick.
He made his NHL debut in April 2022, following the conclusion of his second NCAA season at Michigan, where his team reached the national semifinals. In his initial 10-game stretch at the end of the Kraken’s regular season, Beniers tallied three goals and nine points. He also contributed seven points in 14 games during Seattle’s journey to the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
