Matty Beniers is finding that the quickest way to leave a frustrating shift at the rink is not to take it home alone. The Seattle Kraken center has moved in with teammates Mackie Samoskevich and Berkly Catton, and the three-player household has given Beniers a useful reset button during a promising opening to the season.
For Beniers, the adjustment matters. After winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie in 2022-23, he set a demanding standard for himself and has sometimes carried disappointment longer than he would like when his game has not matched it. Coming back to teammates, rather than an empty home, has helped him step away from the noise.
“Having guys around at home lets you get away from hockey for a bit,” Beniers said. “Even when the game comes up, you are talking with somebody who understands exactly what you are dealing with. When you live by yourself, it can be much easier to keep replaying everything in your head.”
Beniers produced 24 goals and 33 assists in 80 games during his Calder season, finishing ahead of fellow finalists Stuart Skinner of the Edmonton Oilers and Owen Power of the Buffalo Sabres. He posted 20 goals and 30 assists across 82 games last season, and the 23-year-old is now looking to push beyond those totals. Through 10 games, he has two goals and two assists for a Kraken club that has started 6-3-1.
He believes the arrangement with Samoskevich and Catton can help with that climb. The message in the house is not to lower expectations, but to avoid letting one missed chance or poor night spill into the next game.
“You should hold yourself accountable and have standards,” Beniers said. “But when you do not hit them every night, you have to let it go and turn the page. That is where living with those guys helps.”
A familiar connection and a productive line
Beniers and Samoskevich already had a foundation from their season together at the University of Michigan. Seattle selected Beniers second overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, while Florida took Samoskevich 24th in the same draft. Their paths crossed again when the Kraken acquired Samoskevich from the Panthers on June 21, sending Florida a 2026 first-round selection and a conditional second-round pick in 2027.
Samoskevich, also 23, has supplied four goals and an assist in nine games since joining Seattle. Catton, the eighth overall choice in the 2024 draft, is in his second Kraken season and has seven points, including five assists, over 10 outings. The 20-year-old said the off-ice routine is allowing all three players to recharge.
“We are similar people and all want the same thing,” Catton said. “You come to the rink, do your work, and then you can get away from it at home. Being around your friends helps you reset faster than sitting by yourself and thinking about the game all night.”
Seattle has benefited from the energy. The Kraken are averaging 3.70 goals per game, sixth in the NHL, and Beniers has centered a first unit with Samoskevich on one side and Jared McCann on the left. The line has given the club a reliable combination of pace, puck pressure and two-way detail.
Beniers, an alternate captain since Jordan Eberle was named captain before the 2024-25 campaign, remains a key piece of Seattle’s room as well as its top six. Kraken coach Lane Lambert has pointed to the center’s defensive commitment as a major part of his progress.
“His play over the full 200 feet was something I really liked when I arrived last year,” Lambert said. “He understands his responsibilities, continues to improve in that area, and has made a real commitment to that part of the game. That is why he is getting results.”
Beniers said he feels good about both his own direction and Seattle’s group, crediting a strong summer and a desire to add offense without sacrificing the details away from the puck. A return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs would be a major step for the franchise, which has reached the postseason only once since entering the League in 2021-22. Beniers was central to that 2022-23 playoff push.
As for the roommate setup, there is one task the young Kraken forwards are largely leaving to somebody else. Catton said cooking is not a house strength, so they have help with meals rather than taking chances in the kitchen. “We have someone who brings in food,” he said. “It is probably best for everybody that we are not trying to cook too much.”
