LA Kings Draft: Matthew Beniers 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
Matthew Beniers broke through at the 2021 World Juniors, and he would give the LA Kings yet another top-tier forward to their prospect pool.
Originally committed to play collegiate hockey with LA Kings draft pick Alex Laferriere at Harvard, Matthew Beniers flipped his commitment to the University of Michigan once word trickled down that the Ivy League would be canceling the season.
Beniers was one of the youngest players on Team USA in the 2021 World Juniors, but he made a name for himself and increased his draft stock significantly. The Hingham, MA native, tallied a goal and two assists, but he was all over the ice.
At Michigan, Beniers finished third on the team with 24 total points behind linemate Kent Johnson and Thomas Bordeleau.
Matthew Beniers, C
Vitals
- Age: 18
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 174 lbs
- Shot: L
Rankings
- Ranked #5 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
- Ranked #2 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
- Ranked #4 by FCHOCKEY
- Ranked #18 by NEUTRAL ZONE
- Ranked #1 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
- Ranked #3 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
- Ranked #1 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
- Ranked #5 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
- Ranked #1 by SMAHT SCOUTING
- Ranked #8 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY
- Ranked #4 by TSN/McKenzie
Scouting Report
March 2021 – Michigan’s NCAA Tournament came to a premature end before they even played a game. Having been able to keep COVID out of the locker room in the new year, Michigan had to pull out of the tournament the day of their first game due to health and safety protocols. Matthew Beniers had a very good season that has earned him the right to be in the discussion for first overall. He may be the safest pick in the draft class, safely projecting as a solid two-way center who can drive play positively and make his linemates better. He may not have true number one center upside but there aren’t many players who project as top-line centers or number-one defenders in this draft class. Beniers seems to have the knack for generating offense for himself and his teammates with an elite hockey sense and the requisite skill to make just about any play. Balancing intelligence and skill with his ability to utilize his teammates should make him a solid top-six center at the NHL level. Dobber Prospects/Ferrari
Quotables
“My ability to play in all situations, I think that that’s one strength to my game,” Beniers told the Detroit Free Press. “My ability to play defense, produce offensively but also play penalty kill or power play, kind of whatever (Michigan) needs.
“Whatever role they want me to fill, I can fill.”
Production
- 19-20: 18G, 23A, 24 PIM in 44 games (USNDP U18)
- 19-20: 7G, 9A, 10 PIM, +5 in 16 games (USNTDP in USHL play)
- 20-21: 10G, 14A, 0 PIM, +21 in 24 games (Michigan)
- 2021: 1G, 2A, 2 PIM, +3 in 7 games (Team USA WJC)
Video Highlights
Pro Comparison
Final Thoughts
Beniers didn’t let the moment of playing on a highly-touted Michigan team or the bright lights of the World Juniors get to him. If anything, he embraced it while exuding confidence in all facets of his game. He’s so good at carrying the puck through all three zones.
He plays a complete 200-foot game, with a memorable backcheck in Team USA’s attacking zone against Team Austria to keep the puck alive. Aside from his speed and offensive capabilities from an individual perspective, Beniers is so good at getting his teammates involved with nifty passing skills and good vision.
He was used on the powerplay, penalty kill, and while the points weren’t up there with Trevor Zegras or Arthur Kaliyev, Beniers was one of the most important players for Nate Leaman’s club. If he blossoms into a perennial 35-45 point producer at the NHL level, the Kings would welcome that with open arms.
He developed under Reign head coach John Wroblewski at the USNTDP, so there is obviously some familiarity there. The Kings took Brock Faber last year, who also developed under Wrobo. Will they do the same with Beniers if given the opportunity?