2021 NHL Entry Draft First Round Mock Draft 1.0

Other than being awarded the No. 1 overall pick, this couldn’t have worked out any better for the Seattle Kraken who will get the opportunity to add a foundational piece in Michigan forward Matthew Beniers.

It is no secret that in order to be successful in the NHL you build down the middle, and having elite centers is nearly as important as having a superstar goaltender between the pipes.

Well, widely considered the best two-way pivot in this year’s Draft, Beniers could be the franchise center that every team craves, and Kraken General Manager Ron Francis, who was a former center himself, will jump at the chance to build around an elite forward.

Seattle is building an identity based on playing a hard-nosed, gritty brand of hockey and Beniers will fit in perfectly given how he plays the game, with the 6-foot-1 and 175 pound center an outstanding skater who is formidable both on the forecheck and on the backcheck.

He’s incredibly reliable and effective in his own zone, he could grow into a good faceoff guy, he’s a tremendous skater, he plays a physical game and he can also produce offensively at a high level having recorded 24 points (10 G, 14 A) in 24 games for Michigan in his first college season, while he was exceptional for Team USA on the second-line at the 2021 WJC despite being the youngest player on the team.

I love Beniers as a player and I absolutely love everything about his game, and there is no doubt that he will be an excellent building block for the Seattle Kraken as they continue to prepare for their inaugural season in the NHL.