Matty Beniers leans into growing leadership role with Kraken

Matty Beniers is entering the new season carrying more than just the label of franchise cornerstone for the Seattle Kraken. At 23, the 2023 NHL Rookie of the Year is stepping into a larger leadership role on a team under pressure to rebound from another year without playoff hockey. Seattle opens its season Thursday in Calgary with expectations focused on its core players to drive change.

Since arriving in the NHL, Beniers has become the on‑ice face of the expansion franchise. He has already produced three seasons with 20 or more goals and two with at least 30 assists, helping the Kraken reach their lone playoff appearance. From Detroit to Dallas to Denver, he is the Kraken skater most fans recognize.

First NHL fight becomes leadership turning point

While Beniers has worn an "A" for the past two seasons, one incident last spring underscored how teammates view his influence. On March 10, in a 4-2 home loss to the Nashville Predators, Jared McCann was driven hard into the boards on a cross‑check from Justin Barron, with the referee already signaling a penalty. Skating past the play, Beniers abruptly stopped, turned back toward Barron, engaged him physically and then dropped the gloves.

It was his first fight at the NHL level and, by his own admission, the first at any level of organized hockey. With only 59 penalty minutes in 331 career games over four‑plus seasons, the centre is hardly known as an enforcer, but his response resonated in the room. Veterans like Adam Larsson and captain Jordan Eberle pointed to the moment as a clear sign of his willingness to protect teammates and shoulder responsibility.

Pressure on Kraken leaders after late‑season collapse

The leadership spotlight is shining even brighter after the Kraken’s 7-17-2 stumble following last year’s Olympic break, a swoon that effectively ended their playoff hopes. The club has now missed the post‑season three years in a row, and Beniers acknowledges that the onus is on the leadership group to prevent a repeat. He believes they did not always do enough to steady the group when results turned sour.

Seattle’s leadership structure is clearly defined. Eberle, 36, wears the captain’s "C" and is joined by alternates Larsson (33), Brandon Montour (32), Vince Dunn (29) and Beniers. Despite being the youngest by a wide margin, he is viewed as a full partner in that group. Larsson has noted that Beniers leads primarily through his play and day‑to‑day habits, with his voice becoming more present as he matures.

Finding his voice while staying true to his game

Second‑year head coach Lane Lambert says it did not take long at camp to notice Beniers speaking up more often and reinforcing his example with consistent effort on the ice. Lambert points to the centre’s confidence as a defining trait that teammates gravitate toward. Brandon Montour has also highlighted how unusual it is for such a young player to be entrusted with a formal leadership role so early in his career.

For his part, Beniers describes his approach as observing, listening and understanding the dynamics of the dressing room so he can step in at the right time and in the right way. Building trust with teammates is central to that process, he says, so they know any message is coming from a place of support. And on rare occasions, that guidance may even involve dropping the gloves; as he puts it, "When it’s your turn, it’s your turn." As the Kraken chase a return to playoff contention, how far they go may hinge on how far their young leader is ready to take them.