Dollars & Term Key Issues For Kraken Center Beniers' New Contract

Ron Francis, Matty Beniers and each side's representatives need to find common ground on two questions in the coming weeks: How Long, and How Much?

The Seattle Kraken general manager and his young star center will be hammering out a new contract to keep the team's first-ever draft pick in the fold for the next several years.

Beniers' three year entry-level contract expires July 1, making the Boston-area native a restricted free agent.

GM Francis has to decide which Matty Beniers to expect as he matures: the 24 goals and 57 points of his Calder Trophy-winning 2022-23 season; or the still defensively-responsible and possession-driving, but more offensively limited performance (15 goals, 37 points) of 2023-24.

Betting on a higher production Beniers would recommend an eight year extension, which Evolving Hockey projects would carry an AAV of about $7.2 million. Should Francis opt for a more cautious wait-and-see approach, a shorter "bridge" deal of three years might come in closer to an AAV of $5 million.

"It’s still unclear if (Beniers) has the offensive upside to carry a team to a championship as their first-line center," says Josh Erickson of Pro Hockey Rumors .

"Most of his underlying metrics remained the same (in '23-'24), as he had more individual shot attempts than last year and maintained a CF% in the 51% range. But he was one of many affected by a major team-wide swing in shooting percentage, finishing at just a 9.1% rate this season compared to 11.6% in 2022-23."

The cost of taking a cheaper bridge route is that the contract dance would need to be repeated much sooner, potentially at a higher price than $7.2 million AAV.

Preliminary negotiations have begun, according to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta. He reports "negotiations are expected to pick up next week after the NHL Draft Combine."

Also potentially on Francis' shopping list, with $23 million in cap space at his disposal: "Seattle is reportedly one of the teams that has shown interest in Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas"