from Matt Kalkins of the Seattle Times,

If you’re wondering why you should watch a hockey team that’s lost 20 more games than it has won and sits at the bottom of the Pacific Division, the answer lies in a 19-year-old rookie.

The Kraken might not have had the success much of Seattle was hoping for in their inaugural season, but they might have just provided a jolt in the form of a 175-pound Massachusetts native.

A day after agreeing to a three-year entry-level contract with the Kraken, center Matty Beniers introduced himself to the media Monday after his first practice with the team. And the No. 2 overall pick from last year’s amateur draft made it clear he’s ready to embrace hockey’s top tier.

“I’m excited to take it all in and be a sponge,” said Beniers, who played college hockey at Michigan this season. “I’m gonna try to get my feet under me and make as much of an impact as I can.”

Talented as Beniers might be, he is still a teenager entering a grown man’s league. And excited as the brass might be to bring him up, they’re putting the kibosh on the immediate hype. It’s fun to wonder what a prodigy might bring when he makes his NHL debut, which could come Tuesday in Calgary, Alberta, vs. the Flames. But Kraken coach Dave Hakstol made sure to emphasize that this is simply the beginning of a long process.

On Monday, a reporter asked Hakstol what the plan for Beniers was over the next few games. His response? Easy there, fella.

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