Not all of Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers’ growth has been visible on the ice. Kraken GM Jason Botterill praised the behind-the-scenes impact of the 2023 Calder Trophy winner at last week’s press conference.
“I know he wants to take on more of a leadership role. Behind the scenes, we see him moving into bigger roles, taking on more responsibility. We do have a quiet room, but he’s one of the ones who always tries to be a little bit more vocal and bring the group together.
“He’s a great mix between our veteran players who have been around a little bit and these young players coming up from Coachella Valley. Matty has an ability with his background to really interact with anybody, whether you’re from Saskatoon or from Helsinki. He seems to find an ability to interact and communicate with you.”
Sabres Rattling
GM Botterill’s press conference got less than boffo reviews in his former stomping ground of Buffalo. Botterill was general manager of the Sabres from 2017-20.
“Botterill leaned heavily on clichés and failed to create much optimism within the fanbase,” was the opinion of the Sabre Noise site. “It was like watching an instant replay for fans of the Sabres, who witnessed the same song and dance.”
But wait, there’s more. “Botterill never inspired confidence throughout his time in Buffalo of a strong overarching plan. It was always disjointed moves that never created a roster capable of consistently strong performance.”
In fairness, Buffalo’s front office churned through a lot of personnel during its 14-season playoff drought. Ownership seen as far less supportive than what Botterill has in Seattle didn’t help, either.
Birds Battle In AHL Playoffs
The Coachella Valley Firebirds, Seattle’s AHL farm team, evened up its best-of-three first round playoff series Saturday against the Bakersfield Condors.
Despite surrendering a 2-goal lead in the 3rd period, Oscar Fisker Mølgaard’s second of the night with 3:10 left secured a 5-4 Firebirds home win. (Mølgaard in image at left.)
The deciding Game 3 will be Sunday at 5 pm back at Acrisure Arena.
Game 2, BAK 4 @ CVF 5: Both teams scored twice on the power play, with CV getting extra-man markers from Kraken draft picks Eduard Sale (2023 1st round) and Jagger Firkus (2022 2nd round).
Mitchell Stephens scored the other Firebirds goal, while Ty Nelson and Jacob Melanson each chipped in two assists. Bakersfield was limited to 15 shots on goal.
Game 1, CVF 1 @ BAK 6: The teams combined for 10 roughing minors. The Firebirds’ Kaden Hammell engaged in the only actual fight, while John Hayden and Firkus both received 10-minute misconducts.
Coachella Valley got goalied by the Condors’ Matt Tompkins (38 saves). Only Firebirds defenseman Nelson (image at right) solved Tompkins.
CV goalie Nikke Kokko (17 saves) allowed two goals in each period before being pulled. The Firebirds went 0-7 on the power play.
Ryden Evers, Not Ryker Evans
In junior hockey, a Kraken prospect is leading each side of the WHL Western Conference Final.
The better-known name is center Julius Miettinen, partly because he plays for the nearby Everett Silvertips. Miettinen, a 2024 2nd rounder, is second among all WHL postseason goal scorers with eight, adding to 35 in the regular season.
Everett leads the series against the Penticton Vees 2-0. Miettinen’s third assist Saturday set up the double-overtime winner in a 5-4 ‘Tips victory at Angel of the Winds Arena. Game 3 is set for Monday.
Less-heralded Kraken prospect, undrafted 20-year-old Ryden Evers, has been tearing it up in the playoffs for Penticton. The 6-foot-4, 192 pound center has 12 points in 13 postseason games, including seven goals. That follows a 35-goal regular season. Four of those goals came against the Silvertips on Oct. 25.
Evers’ three-year entry-level Kraken contract ($1.075 million AAV) kicks in with the 2026-27 season, when he’s expected to join Coachella Valley. Vees head coach/GM Fred Harbinson told the Keremeos Review, “A 6-foot-4 center with the talent that he has, they don’t grow on trees, that’s for sure. He’s got a chance to make money at this game if he continues to put the work into it.”
Penticton, by the way, is in British Columbia’s wine region, 260 driving miles east of Vancouver. It’s one of only two cities in the world located between two lakes, the Okanagan and Skaha.
Earlier Kraken:
— 3 Kraken Prospects Who Backed Up Their Words
