Sabres' Option: Matthew Beniers

[LGR4GM]

Beniers is a 6'1" 175lb Center. He probably just broke his ankle at the Worlds today and a lot his game is based on elite skating. 

That said here is readings on Beniers:

1) Dobber Prospects

https://dobberprospects.com/player/matthew-beniers/

2) Last Word on Sports

https://lastwordonsports.com/hockey/2021/04/03/matthew-beniers-scouting-report/

3) Hockey Writers

https://thehockeywriters.com/matthew-beniers-2021-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/

4) Elite Prospects Rinkside (paid content, will post clips)

https://eprinkside.com/2021/02/12/film-room-an-examination-of-matthew-beniers-mature-two-way-game-and-what-it-offers-at-the-2021-draft

 

No scouching report yet, but here are highlights

Shift by shift

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Broken ankle or no, this is the only pick for the Sabres IMHO, especially with Jack and Reinhart on the trading block.  This kid reminds me of Patrice Bergeron.

[Weave]

I’d hate be the guy that has to weigh out the risk/reward analysis on this player now.  Could make or break a front office career.

[LGR4GM]

Beniers is reported as day to day. Probably won't know much about his injury until tomorrow at the earliest or more like in the next week as the Worlds wraps up. 

[thewookie1]

Beniers is still my favorite however much like Power, he's a more or less jack of all trades type of player versus an elite player in any respective category. (his speed is the closest thing he has to elite level talent)

While I'd rather take Beniers, Power would certainly not make me go into any depressive spiral.  

[pi2000]

Beniers has all the tools, he skates really well and plays both ends.    A nice well-rounded prospect.

That said, there's nothing that really jumps out about him that IMO would vault him to the #1 pick.    

Powers combination of size, skill and smarts puts him ahead of Beniers if for no other reason than it's typically more difficult to acquire a defenseman like Power than it is to acquire a guy like Beniers.      Hypothetically, Power's trade value this summer is certainly higher than Beniers, so for that reason I'm out on Beniers at #1.

[Hoss]

The feeling on Beniers on this board is not reflected by the feeling on Beniers off of this board. I like the player a lot. I would not consider taking him over Power.

[dudacek]

26 minutes ago, Hoss said:

The feeling on Beniers on this board is not reflected by the feeling on Beniers off of this board. I like the player a lot. I would not consider taking him over Power.

I think Sabres fans are ready for a “type” and Beniers fits that type to a “T”

I think they recognized there was no franchise player at the top of this draft, and didn’t dream they would be picking first and found themselves very comfortable with the idea Beniers at #3.

Now they are being jolted out of that comfortable slot and forced to consider “Best Player Available” when that decision won’t be easy and they don’t trust their team to make the right one.

 

[LGR4GM]

6 hours ago, dudacek said:

I think Sabres fans are ready for a “type” and Beniers fits that type to a “T”

I think they recognized there was no franchise player at the top of this draft, and didn’t dream they would be picking first and found themselves very comfortable with the idea Beniers at #3.

Now they are being jolted out of that comfortable slot and forced to consider “Best Player Available” when that decision won’t be easy and they don’t trust their team to make the right one.

 

No, I am not. 

[LGR4GM]

7 hours ago, Hoss said:

The feeling on Beniers on this board is not reflected by the feeling on Beniers off of this board. I like the player a lot. I would not consider taking him over Power.

This is my favorite narrative that has developed in the last 48 hours. That somehow those liking Beniers are crazy and ALLLLLLLLLLLL the real scouts and talent evaluators who aren't posting around here have Beniers lower even though that simply is not true. 

[LGR4GM]

I will add that most do, absolutely but again we are talking like a 6/10 for Power, maybe 7/10 and then the 3-4/10 are Beniers ppl.

[LGR4GM]

p60 meaning points per 60minutes (so points adjusted for ice time)

Beniers p/60 is 2.73

All the following are D+1 players as there are no DY players that compare

Newhook: 3.34

Caufield: 2.52

Zegras: 2.42

Holloway: 3.213

Brisson: 2.74 (he was Beniers teammate)

 

[dudacek]

58 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

No, I am not. 

Not sure what you mean by this, but if it needs clarification, I was posting about the board in general, and not you in particular.

I disagree that the board in general has suddenly become all "duh, its Power." Nobody was talking about him prior to the lottery, now a lot of people are, and a couple posters have forcefully supported him and others are realizing "hey, maybe this guy is pretty good."

16 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I will add that most do, absolutely but again we are talking like a 6/10 for Power, maybe 7/10 and then the 3-4/10 are Beniers ppl.

Personally, I adore Beniers' game and fall heavy into the group that was and is comfortable taking him.

But is there really a significant a group of scouts/scouting services that have him as a #1? I've certainly seen him in the 2/3 range, but I've also seen him outside the top 5.

Edited June 4, 2021 by dudacek

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Not sure what you mean by this, but if it needs clarification, I was posting about the board in general, and not you in particular.

I disagree that the board in general has suddenly become all "duh, its Power." Nobody was talking about him prior to the lottery, now a lot of people are, and a couple posters have forcefully supported him and others are realizing "hey, maybe this guy is pretty good."

Personally, I adore Beniers' game and fall heavy into the group that was and is comfortable taking him.

But is there really a significant a group of scouts/scouting services that have him as a #1? I've certainly seen him in the 2/3 range, but I've also seen him outside the top 5.

What service has him outside the top 5 that has been updated since December/January?

Oh wait CSS does because they are without doubt the worse rankings imaginable. They put Kent Johnson over Beniers even though Beniers has outperformed him IN EVERY METRIC. McTavish is above him because of the U18's. So there is one service he is outside the top 5 on. 

I count 3 he is #1 and another 5 that he is 2-4 on. Power is 1 on 6 and another 3-4 he is 2-4 on (there is 1 6 but that one is old)

[dudacek]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

What service has him outside the top 5 that has been updated since December/January?

Oh wait CSS does because they are without doubt the worse rankings imaginable. They put Kent Johnson over Beniers even though Beniers has outperformed him IN EVERY METRIC. McTavish is above him because of the U18's. So there is one service he is outside the top 5 on. 

I count 3 he is #1 and another 5 that he is 2-4 on. Power is 1 on 6 and another 3-4 he is 2-4 on (there is 1 6 but that one is old)

I guess we should get final lists fairly soon?

Was it @GASabresIUFAN who compiled a blended list for us last year?

Enjoyed that.

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

I guess we should get final lists fairly soon?

Was it @GASabresIUFAN who compiled a blended list for us last year?

Enjoyed that.

Owen Power is #1 on the consolidated list and Matt Beniers is #3

Brandt Clarke is #2

keep in mind the consolidated rankings pull from a couple older non updated lists. 

Edited June 4, 2021 by LGR4GM

[Buffalonill]

9 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Beniers has all the tools, he skates really well and plays both ends.    A nice well-rounded prospect.

That said, there's nothing that really jumps out about him that IMO would vault him to the #1 pick.    

Powers combination of size, skill and smarts puts him ahead of Beniers if for no other reason than it's typically more difficult to acquire a defenseman like Power than it is to acquire a guy like Beniers.      Hypothetically, Power's trade value this summer is certainly higher than Beniers, so for that reason I'm out on Beniers at #1.

 

Yikes people are really  Taking that power hype in.

Went from loving beniers and now this lol 

I dislike beniers but theres no one like him in this draft 

Edited June 4, 2021 by Buffalonill

[GASabresIUFAN]

24 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I guess we should get final lists fairly soon?

Was it @GASabresIUFAN who compiled a blended list for us last year?

Enjoyed that.

Yes, I do one every year.  Will post it again if you would like.  I usually take 10-12 of the reliable rankings and do a 1st rd.  Most years about 25 of the guys on the list go in the first and there are 50 or so guys that get a least one vote as a first rd pick.  The first out of left field pick usually happens around 18-20.

Edited June 4, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[Curt]

9 hours ago, dudacek said:

I think Sabres fans are ready for a “type” and Beniers fits that type to a “T”

I think they recognized there was no franchise player at the top of this draft, and didn’t dream they would be picking first and found themselves very comfortable with the idea Beniers at #3.

Now they are being jolted out of that comfortable slot and forced to consider “Best Player Available” when that decision won’t be easy and they don’t trust their team to make the right one.

 

For me, I’m definitely looking for a type, and I haven’t seen a lot of separation between the 5-6 guys at the top of this draft, so I’ve been locked into the guy who fits that type, whether it’s at pick 1-2-3.

Edited June 4, 2021 by Curt

[Hoss]

I like Beniers and if Jack ends up in Anaheim I hope he’s the guy at 3.

[Rasmus_]

On 6/3/2021 at 11:08 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

Broken ankle or no, this is the only pick for the Sabres IMHO, especially with Jack and Reinhart on the trading block.  This kid reminds me of Patrice Bergeron.

I agree, make it happen. 

[Thorny]

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

This is my favorite narrative that has developed in the last 48 hours. That somehow those liking Beniers are crazy and ALLLLLLLLLLLL the real scouts and talent evaluators who aren't posting around here have Beniers lower even though that simply is not true. 

There was "no consensus" here, until we won the lottery. Now there's an in-stone consensus. Go figure

[Hoss]

Just now, Thorny said:

There was "no consensus" here, until we won the lottery. Now there's an in-stone consensus. Go figure

I think a lot of people assumed we wouldn’t win the lottery.

[Thorny]

3 minutes ago, Hoss said:

I think a lot of people assumed we wouldn’t win the lottery.

I've been the guy saying Power was going to go number 1 from the beginning, for the record. Because the guy said to be going 1 almost always goes 1 - that's really all there was to the argument and honestly it probably doesn't need much more. Power will very likely be the pick. But we heard a lot of talk about how Beniers was Adams guy regardless. 

[Thorny]

15 hours ago, dudacek said:

I think Sabres fans are ready for a “type” and Beniers fits that type to a “T”

I think they recognized there was no franchise player at the top of this draft, and didn’t dream they would be picking first and found themselves very comfortable with the idea Beniers at #3.

Now they are being jolted out of that comfortable slot and forced to consider “Best Player Available” when that decision won’t be easy and they don’t trust their team to make the right one.

 

Maybe, but...

On 4/27/2021 at 10:22 PM, dudacek said:

I understand we haven't seen a ton to base this on, but to me, Beniers is the epitome of what Adams wants the Sabres to be: fast, skilled and relentless.

I fully expect to draft him if he is available where we pick.

If you are speaking of this board, you are very influential obviously and after posts like this and Liger's awesome analysis of the player, it could just be that people believe in Beniers. 

Edited June 4, 2021 by Thorny