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Seattle Kraken’s 2025-26 Report Cards: Matty Beniers

Seattle Kraken forward Matty Beniers scores the game-winning shootout goal on Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

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Seattle Kraken’s 2025-26 Report Cards: Matty Beniers

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Jess Amato | Last updated Aug 9, 2026 8:55 AM ET

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The 2025-26 season was a roller coaster for the Seattle Kraken. They had their best start ever and won their first home opener in their five seasons in the league. The Kraken were primed to take a playoff spot by American Thanksgiving, which is usually a decent indicator of who will make the postseason. With two major downswings in December and at the end of the season, the Kraken finished with a final record of 34-37-11.

At the end of the day, there is no one person to blame for the Kraken’s demise. Hockey is a team sport, and it was a team effort in the end. Each player did their part to try and give Seattle a fighting chance at the postseason, but unfortunately, it was not enough. Some players had better performances than others. In this installment of the 2025-26 Kraken report cards, we’ll analyze and grade forward Matty Beniers’ performance.

2025-26 Performance

The 2025-26 season marked Beniers’ fifth with the team, his fourth full-time season. He was one of two players to play in all 82 games, the other being Adam Larsson. Beniers recorded 50 points via 20 goals and 30 assists.

In the Kraken’s home opener on Oct. 9, Beniers already put his name on the scoresheet with an assist. In their next game on Oct. 11, he scored his first goal of the season and his first multi-point game, thanks to an assist.

January was a tough month for the Kraken, but Beniers used the heavy schedule of games to his advantage. He recorded two long point streaks, six points in five games from Jan. 5-12, and another six points in five games from Jan. 21-29.

Beniers had stretches where he didn’t record any points, but his performance overall made up for the lack of scoring in these off games. He was one of the most effective offensive threats for Seattle in the 2025-26 season.

Impact With Seattle

Throughout the season, Beniers was consistently the center on the Kraken’s top line. However, due to injuries, his linemates often switched. Although he started out the season with Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle on his wings, McCann was injured early in the season, rendering him unable to play. Rookie Berkly Catton stepped in to fill the empty space on left wing.

As an alternate captain and playing with rookie players, Beniers stepped up as not only a player but also as a leader to show Catton the ropes. His impact was also shown on the scoresheet. He consistently made plays, with his 50 points being the second-highest of anyone on the team. The Kraken needed someone to step up in the scoring role last season, and Beniers rose to the challenge.

Future in Seattle

Beniers is entering the third season of his seven-year contract with the Kraken, with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.14 million. He is currently signed through the 2030-31 season, becoming an unrestricted free agent (UFA) when he turns 28.

The Kraken bet on Beniers by selecting him as their first-ever draft pick, and he continues to prove to Seattle that it made the right choice. With four more years on his contract, he will need to keep up his consistent play.

Overall Grade

For the 2025-26 season, Beniers receives an A. He recorded his second-highest career point total, just seven points shy of tying his personal best from the 2022-23 season.

Beniers was consistent on the ice in points and performance. He continues to prove why he was the Kraken’s first-ever draft pick. Let’s hope he continues this strong performance streak to kick off 2026-27.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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