Matty Beniers isn’t spending much time on projections, and he’s not interested in letting anyone else set the ceiling for the Kraken, either.
Analytics site MoneyPuck.com gives Seattle a 19.1 percent shot at making the 2026-27 playoffs, which comes out to about 1-in-5 odds. That number leaves the Kraken ahead of only three other teams in the model: Vancouver, Chicago, and Calgary, Seattle’s opening night opponent. But Beniers pushed past the math in a KIRO-AM interview, laying out a much different view of what this team can do.
“I believe we have a team that can get to playoffs and have success. Every single year, you see teams outperform the projections of the writers.
Buffalo did it last year. You get hot at the right time, you have good mojo going, your team’s got a lot of confidence.
“It’s a lot about gaining momentum, getting better every day, winning the games you should, and finding a way to win the games maybe you shouldn’t.”
That kind of conviction hasn’t gone unnoticed inside the room. Lane Lambert had plenty to say about the 23-year-old center, and the Kraken coach made it clear Beniers is growing into a bigger voice.
“He’s progressed in every area of leadership, and certainly more vocal as (last) season went along. A little bit more willing to say things and not necessarily sit back.
“There’s an understanding here that he’s one of our team leaders as the organization moves forward. He draws people in.
He takes care of his teammates. It’s a really endearing quality.”
Vince Dunn echoed that sentiment, pointing to the way Beniers carries himself with the group.
“The way he speaks in the dressing room, it’s been pretty neat to see him develop in that way. Just the passion he has for himself as a person and the city.”
The Kraken also drew attention in a pair of Sportsnet.ca “Bold Predictions” on the eve of the season, including one that had Seattle winning the 2027 NHL Draft Lottery and landing Landon DuPont from Michigan. The prediction also noted that Kraken GM Jason Botterill is a Michigan guy and argued that the way to reshape Seattle is by adding the top-end talent the franchise has not yet secured in its short history.
There was one more bold call: that Seattle would miss the playoffs. And that’s where Beniers’ comments land right in the middle of the debate.
Elsewhere on the roster, Bobby McMann’s strong start has carried into the preseason. He scored in both of Seattle’s preseason games after arriving at the trade deadline last season from Toronto, and coach Lambert explained why the winger chose to stay put by signing a six-year, $34.5 million contract with the Kraken.
“He’s a guy who continuously wants to develop his game. He’s worked his way up from ground zero, attended a couple of development camps, one in Calgary and one in Toronto, and that’s how he kind of got his way in. He wants to continue to grow his game.
“From our perspective as an organization, as a coaching staff, it’s a prime focus of ours to get players better on a team and individual basis. I think he liked that.
There were things we were doing here that he hadn’t seen before. It’s probably a good portion of why he wanted to remain here.
“He’s going to get an opportunity to play here. He’s played for me before (when Lambert was an assistant coach for the Maple Leafs), and I think he trusts that.”
In Other News...
Kraken Sent An Early Message About What This Team Could Be
The season opener could hardly have gone much better for the Kraken, who rolled past Calgary and immediately showed the kind of depth and pace this roster wants to lean on. Jordan Eberle, Vince Dunn and Freddy Gaudreau all struck in the first period, giving Seattle an early cushion and an instant jolt of confidence in front of a home crowd that had to like what it saw.
The scoring kept coming late, with Chandler Stephenson, Matty Beniers and Kaapo Kakko all adding goals in the third to turn a strong start into a statement win. Joey Daccord was steady throughout in net and even got involved in the offense, a reminder that Seattles night was about more than just an opening-night result. [Read more 🡒]
Seattle Torrent Finally Get Their First Real Place In The PWHL
The Seattle Torrent finally have something that feels like a real home base in the PWHL, with the league releasing the clubs 2026-27 schedule and putting Seattle on a full-season path in its own building. For the first time, the league has enough teams to split into Western and Eastern Conferences, and Seattle lands in the Western side as the new structure starts to take shape.
Climate Pledge Arena will host 15 home dates on a 30-game slate, giving the Torrent a steadier presence in front of local fans after arriving as the league continued to expand. The schedule also includes four Takeover Tour stops at neutral sites, a reminder that even with a clearer home identity now in place, the league is still trying to broaden its footprint while Seattle settles into its first real place on the map. [Read more 🡒]