Rookie Midterms: Matty Beniers is already one of the NHL's best

That Matty Beniers has become one of the NHL’s most effective three-zone players isn’t surprising. 

That he’s already one of the NHL’s best three-zone players, not even 60 games into his career, is.

He’s playing top-line minutes down the middle. Whenever he steps on the ice, Seattle’s goal-scoring and scoring chance generation improve, and he’s integral, if not the key, to their power play. It's safe to say that he's translated his game to the NHL almost instantly.

For as long as Beniers’ has been in the hockey limelight, his dedication to the defensive game, attention to detail, and ability to turn defence into quick-strike offence were ahead of the curve – the defensive impact was expected. 

But his offensive impact has exceeded expectations. The source? It starts with the defence.