It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that University of Michigan sophomore Matty Beniers is New England’s top NHL prospect, given his pedigree as the second overall selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and the production he’s enjoying with the Wolverines.
The future Seattle Kraken center and Hingham, Mass. native has 10 goals and 17 points in 14 games, after potting 10 as a freshman in 24 contests a year ago.
It’s not just that his scoring numbers are up, it’s how he’s doing it and how the rest of his game is progressing since he made the decision to leave Boston for Ann Arbor last year. His hand was forced when the Ivy League scrubbed the 2020-21 athletic season due to COVID-19. Beniers switched his college commitment from Harvard to Michigan, but things appear to have worked out for him since then.
Along with fellow Michigan first-rounders Owen Power and Kent Johnson, Beniers is just inside the top-15 in the nation for scoring, but the former Milton Academy product’s game is so much more than just the goals and assists.
Instincts + release = finish
In watching the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Beniers and how he’s managed to be one of a handful of NCAA players with 10 or more goals in the young season, it is clear that he has an excellent release on his shot. Whether one-timing pucks into the back of the net, firing off rapid bullets with refined catch-and-shoot skills off the pass, or wiring laser beams to the upper corners off the rush, Beniers can hurt opponents in a variety of ways.
Consistently scoring goals requires myriad factors to go the shooter’s way, but in the modern era where goaltenders are so much bigger, athletic, and bring their own hockey awareness to the table to deny quality scoring chances, Beniers’ refined shot is one of several key carry tools he possesses.
His vision and feel for the game is yet another important factor to his having scored 20 goals in his first 38 NCAA games. He sees the ice so well, anticipating where the passing/shooting lanes will open up and then making himself available for the pass, or taking the shot when he knows he can get the puck to the net.
“Matty has been fantastic,” a U.S.-based NHL scout who has watched Beniers going back to his first year at the U.S. NTDP told New England Hockey Journal. “Even early before the points were coming, he did so much to help Michigan win. He’s been excellent defensively, on the forecheck and on the penalty kill. He’s making plays at pace, attacking in straight lines and setting up teammates for grade-A chances.”
Don’t forget the intangibles
Interestingly enough, Michigan head coach Mel Pearson and Beniers spoke to the Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy recently and revealed that the Seattle prospect was struggling to find his scoring touch earlier in the season and that the weight of his own high expectations might be getting to him. The advice Pearson gave him was based on similar issues Toronto’s Mitch Marner was having for the Leafs, and his coach encouraged Beniers to be true to himself and have fun in the process.
Since then, Beniers went on a run, including becoming the first Michigan player since Jason Botterill in the mid-1990s to record at least two goals over three consecutive games.
Now firing on all cylinders, it’s important to note that some of what makes Beniers a special player is that he’s an advanced player in terms of his details and habits. He understands the game so well on both sides of the puck, which means even if the pucks aren’t going into the net for him, he’s still going to impact the games positively for his team in a defensive role. Beniers is realistic and hard-working, so any slumps he tends to have won’t be compounded by a lack of performance in all zones.
That’s an important lesson for players at all levels. Even the most prolific scorers will go through periods in their game where they lack their normal touch. The key for players staying in the lineup if the scoring dries up is to be reliable and trustworthy enough to keep taking a regular shift and finding other ways to help the team win.
Beniers has that knack, and it’s a major reason why he’s not only scoring at a higher clip as a sophomore but will continue to be relied upon to play a lot of minutes in all situations for Pearson’s club.
They’ll need to enjoy it while they can. Beniers is the closest thing to a sure bet to turn pro after Michigan’s last game, whenever the (as of this week) No. 3 team in the country’s season ends. With the pure ability and depth of that Wolverines lineup, and Beniers back on track and feeling confident about his game, the folks in Ann Arbor will hope it comes on the heels of the school’s first title since 1998.
“He’s NHL ready,” the scout said. “He could help Seattle win today and should lead them to a lot of wins in his career.”
