Matthew Beniers is one of the top forwards in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. With the Seattle Kraken picking 2nd overall, they have a great chance of being able to draft him. But should they? Let’s explore in this edition of a Former Scouts Take.
Dylan was a WHL Scout for 5 years, with most of that time spent with the Portland Winterhawks.
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12 Comments
I don’t think anyone in this draft is ready for the NHL, but I think Beniers is the closest and his issues can be worked on with just one more year in college and he’ll be a great 2C for Seattle (assuming they pick him)
I like beniers….I think that in terms of building a prospect pool…you start with solid guys like him.
Beniers is my pick if I'm the Kraken. His downsides can be worked on, either during the offseason or with another season at Michigan, and his upsides are what a lot of NHL teams look for in a 2W forward.
This was an awesome brkdwn
The skating circles clip is hilarious
Seattle needs a defensmen especially because the d man have amazing potential
Elite motor
One thing I'm curious on in any video about centers. How is he on the draw? Will he be a guy that you can send out there in your own zone on the pk?
He reminds me of Yanni Gourde
You can't teach speed, I'd take a pass.
Hopefully he comes to seattle and can be a HOF
IMO he doesn't really have the elite or top tier O skill sets u use a now extremely limited number of lottery draft picks you're allowed on type guy. On top of that, his significant struggles to get & stay above 170 lbs at 6'1" is a massive concern for career at NHL level. In this draft class if only considering C or C/Winger types, I'd have gone with eventual #3 overall pick by Ana, Mason McTavish who though not the skater Beniers is, has a top tier sniper type shooting & scoring ability from distance to front of net, is arguably better at winning FO already, already has a grown man's NHL physique at 6'1" 200+ lbs, plays with pretty solid feistiness & high compete level, will more so be either a goal scoring power forward type C or if not C and Winger ends up better fit, could really do well there too. While I'm not saying 1 way or other he'll be better or worse in long run than Beniers, I think he has fair bit more O & especially G scoring upside. Also not saying he will be/has potential to be nor necessarily has same level traits as these guys, but McTavish to me seems to fall into vein of a not as big or physical and def not the athleticism/skating ability, C pos wise, akin to an Eric Lindros, or maybe guys like Jeremy Roenick or Joe Thornton, as a potential Winger, vein akin to bit more athletic Brendan Shanahan, or more athletic but less physical Keith Tkuchuk, etc, maybe more closely more recent example potentially Landeskog esque with potentially fair bit better shot & G scoring upside, anywhere from modest amount less/not as good of to potentially a modest bit better passing & A, though may not have similar leadership ability as him.
Any case @ECH can u do a vid for C/Wing McTavish, maybe also C Kent Johnson as did for Beniers? Just so we have a comparative reference for the top 3 C taken in top 5 picks of 2021 draft class, ideally would include the analytics of all 3 C as well since thats this regime's bread & butter for decision making.