South Shore native inks seven-year, nearly $50-million extension in NHL

Hingham's Matty Beniers will be anchored in Seattle long-term.

The Seattle Kraken announced on social media Tuesday afternoon that the team has signed the former Milton Academy star to a 7-year contract extension worth over $7 million annually.

“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,” general manager Ron Francis said in a press release . “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.”

What are Matty Beneiers stats with the Seattle Kraken

The 21-year-old Beniers registered 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points this past season as Seattle (34-35-13) finished sixth in the Pacific Division and missed the postseason cut. He was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy (NHL Rookie of the Year) at the conclusion of his debut season, then broke out in his second year in 2022-23, recording 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points.

It took the Kraken just two seasons to qualify for the NHL playoffs, as Beniers led the team to the second round as a second-year player in 2023. He has seven points in 14 career postseason games. Beniers has career totals of 42 goals and 61 assists in 167 games played throughout three seasons.

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What draft was Matty Beniers picked in

Beniers was the second overall pick in the 2021 Entry Draft -- Seattle's first-ever selection as an expansion franchise. The 6-foot-2 center played his high school hockey at Milton Academy and college hockey at Michigan prior to being named to the U.S. Olympic team that placed fifth at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, China.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: South Shore native inks seven-year, nearly $50-million extension in NHL