The Seattle Kraken locked in their first-ever draft pick, forward Matty Beniers, on Tuesday with a seven-year, $49.98 million contract extension carrying an average annual value of $7.14 million.

Beniers, 21, was a restricted free agent who was selected by Seattle, then an expansion team, with the second pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.

“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,” Kraken general manager Ron Francis said in a news release. “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 made his NHL debut in 2022, playing 10 games and earning nine points (three goals, six assists). In his first full season, he recorded 24 goals, 33 assists and a plus-14 rating in 80 regular-season games en route to winning the Calder Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year.

He added three goals, four assists and a plus-6 rating in 14 playoff games that season.

Beniers tallied 15 goals, 22 assists and a minus-11 rating in 77 games in 2023-24, for career totals of 42 goals, 61 assists, 103 points and a plus-2 rating in 167 regular-season games.

–Field Level Media