C/LW Matthew Beniers - Univ. of Michigan, NCAA (2021, 2nd, SEA)

[405Entrance]

Hearing a lot of good things about this guy. You need guys like this on championship caliber teams regardless of sport

 

[Orca Smash]

Johnson is a Nylander
Beniers is a Horvat

both will be effective in their own right and I do think they will at least full fill what they were labeled as going forward.

Berniers is going to be better then horvat imo. Horvat is a very good player, but i think berniers can play a similar defensive game but put even more points.

 

[bsu]

Nylander moves his feet.... Johnson does not... not a good comparison, Nylanders game is from his crossovers while stick handling. It's actually not a good comparison at all.

 

[echlfreak]

This kid is gonna be good. His style is perfect for the speed of the NHL

 

[Get North]

He didn't dominate offensively at the U18s or U20. I think he's got Dylan Larkin upside at best which is a 1st round pick, not sure about top 5. Aatu Raty looked to have a deadlier shot and more physicality to his game. Speed is one thing, being strong on the puck is a harder skill.

 

[mphmiles]

2 cents:

People vastly overrate the value of production over a 6 or 7 game sample size with new coaches and line mates at the WJC. Elias Pettersson had one point in 6 games.

Their production with their normal team is a significantly better indicator. Being a PPG player in college at 18 is very good.

 

[NHL Dude 120]

He should return to College for another year

 

[Our Lady Peace]

I feel like, due to the nature of this draft lacking a consensus superstar #1 overall pick, Beniers is getting a bit overanalyzed here.

I think he should be a surefire top 3 pick because his game is so much built on anticipation and compete in all 3 zones in addition to his high end skating, shot, and skill. I'm not sure how you don't drool over a potential all-situations #1C Selke contender.

 

[Get North]

I feel like, due to the nature of this draft lacking a consensus superstar #1 overall pick, Beniers is getting a bit overanalyzed here.

I think he should be a surefire top 3 pick because his game is so much built on anticipation and compete in all 3 zones in addition to his high end skating, shot, and skill. I'm not sure how you don't drool over a potential all-situations #1C Selke contender.

I don't know about #1 C Selke contender. You need an elite stick to win Selkes like Stone, Marner and O'Reilly. They don't have skating issues and Beniers' skating is excellent but it takes more than just high end skating.

Beniers could be the best forward in this draft, he's competing against Guenther, Eklund, Johnson, and McTavish. I can see why scouts are comfortable with Beniers but the others have unique skills rather than simply skating. A lot of people say Johnson is the one with best hands and silkyness.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't know about #1 C Selke contender. You need an elite stick to win Selkes like Stone, Marner and O'Reilly. They don't have skating issues and Beniers' skating is excellent but it takes more than just high end skating.

Beniers could be the best forward in this draft, he's competing against Guenther, Eklund, Johnson, and McTavish. I can see why scouts are comfortable with Beniers but the others have unique skills rather than simply skating. A lot of people say Johnson is the one with best hands and silkyness.

I think Beniers defense is very overrated. He has great effort and skating. I don’t see a great stick or hockey sense.

 

[BloFan4Life]

I think Beniers defense is very overrated. He has great effort and skating. I don’t see a great stick or hockey sense.

I'm in same boat as you. I don't think he is going to translate very well to NHL. He plays a very small game IMO. His skating style makes him very small on ice.

As a top pick, he is going to be expected to put in minimum 50 points, and I don't see how is he is going to do that in NHL. He reminds me of a 4th line center.

 

[Wintersun]

I think he's a safe bet to be a solid all-around 2nd line center, maybe not elite defensively but solid. I do think he has similarities to Larkin at the same age. Is it the type of player you want with a first overall pick ? Not really. From 3 to 5, I think it's a fine pick.

 

[flashsabre]

I'm in same boat as you. I don't think he is going to translate very well to NHL. He plays a very small game IMO. His skating style makes him very small on ice.

As a top pick, he is going to be expected to put in minimum 50 points, and I don't see how is he is going to do that in NHL. He reminds me of a 4th line center.

Awful take.

 

[FlyguyOX]

So many awful takes ITT

 

[Fjordy]

Awful take.

As always

 

[GAGLine]

Teams who pass on this kid will regret it. He's going to be an all-situations top 6 player. If he scores 70 points at his peak instead of 80, I really don't care. He's the type of player teams win with.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Now we're at the stage where a player in the spotlight is denigrated. Beniers now plays small, is defensively inadequate, and has bottom six skill. I have to laugh.

 

[m0pe]

Honestly, 4th line center seems a little too unlikely for me. With how small he plays and without him having a good defensive game I just don't see a coach playing him in that type of role.

Maybe he will become a good college player one day but that even seems unlikely.

As a Sabres fan, I might take him with our 7th round pick but it would be pretty ridiculous for a team to draft him before that.

 

[flashsabre]

Honestly, 4th line center seems a little too unlikely for me. With how small he plays and without him having a good defensive game I just don't see a coach playing him in that type of role.

Maybe he will become a good college player one day but that even seems unlikely.

As a Sabres fan, I might take him with our 7th round pick but it would be pretty ridiculous for a team to draft him before that.

No, let him go to Europe and earn it for 5 years. After 3 or 4 Spengler Cups we can take a flyer on him as a training camp invite.

 

[57special]

I'm in same boat as you. I don't think he is going to translate very well to NHL. He plays a very small game IMO. His skating style makes him very small on ice.

As a top pick, he is going to be expected to put in minimum 50 points, and I don't see how is he is going to do that in NHL. He reminds me of a 4th line center.

Heh?

 

[Hale The Villain]

Teams who pass on this kid will regret it. He's going to be an all-situations top 6 player. If he scores 70 points at his peak instead of 80, I really don't care. He's the type of player teams win with.

70 is probably optimistic, even as a peak.

 

[GAGLine]

70 is probably optimistic, even as a peak.

Maybe, but even 60 is a very good player when you consider his total game. I think he is going to surprise people by how much he scores though. Puck skills are overrated in terms of offensive production.

 

[Flash20]

A 4th line player ? Cant believe he got 24 points in 24 games as an 18 year old

Looks like will see you in the 7th round

 

[Flash20]

Now we're at the stage where a player in the spotlight is denigrated. Beniers now plays small, is defensively inadequate, and has bottom six skill. I have to laugh.

They did this with sean couturier

Good times

 

[Rabid Ranger]

They did this with sean couturier

Good times

When being hard working and conscientious is seen as a negative....