The Seattle Kraken have signed Matty Beniers to a seven-year, $7.14M AAV contract extension.
The 2023 Calder Trophy winner had a down year with the Kraken scoring just 15 goals and 37 points in 77 games. His Calder Trophy-winning season was much better and with the offseason additions and internal promotions such as Shane Wright, they're many reasons to believe Beniers can get back to that level during the 2024-25 season.
A seven-year contract shows faith from not only GM Ron Francis in Beniers but also from Beniers in the Kraken franchise. The Kraken could have given Beniers a bridge deal and told him to prove that he is the franchise player they drafted second overall in the 2021 draft but are giving him confidence and showing they believe in him.
In the Kraken's press release, Francis expanded on his belief in the player Beniers is and can be.
"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 Francis. "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 could have signed a short-term deal like Quinton Byfield did with the Los Angeles Kings and asked the Kraken to prove to him why he should sign a long-term contract.
The 21-year-old's contract comes in at a lower dollar amount than some of his comparables such as Tim Stutzle ($8.3M), Jack Hughes ($8M), and Cole Caufield ($7.85M) and comes out around the same as Nico Hischier ($7.25M), Dylan Cozens ($7.1M), and Matt Boldy ($7M).
In the end, both parties got the deal they were looking for and can be excited to watch Beniers and the Kraken grow together for the next seven seasons.
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