Matty Beniers (Michigan) is the 2022-23 recipient of the Calder Trophy as top rookie in the National Hockey League. The award was presented Monday night in Nashville, site of this year's NHL Entry Draft that will commence on Wednesday.
Beniers, 20, recorded 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points and just two penalty minutes in 80 regular-season games this year for the second-year Kraken franchise. He then added three goals and seven points in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff contests as Seattle ousted the defending Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the first round, before falling to the Dallas Stars in the second round, both in seven games.
Originally committed to play for Harvard, Beniers. a center, instead pivoted to Michigan when the Ivy League schools decided to sit out the 2020-21 campaign due to COVID-19. In two years and 61 outings at Michigan, he notched 30-37–67 points and 16 PIM in helping the Wolverines to two NCAA tournament berths, including the 2022 NCAA Frozen Four in Boston, plus a Big Ten tournament title. He actually made his NHL audition by playing 10 games with the Kraken soon afterwards last spring, registering three goals and nine points points in that span, and has recorded a total of 27-39–66 points in 90 NHL regular-season appearances to date.
A native of Hingham, Mass. and a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program, Beniers was originally selected second overall by expansion Seattle in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
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