Seattle Kraken star Matty Beniers proved this season he is one of the most promising players in the National Hockey League. At the NHL Awards on Monday night, he earned some hardware honoring his efforts.

Beniers won the Calder Memorial Trophy, the NHL announced in Nashville. The Kraken star is the 90th player to win the award. He received 160 first-place votes, winning the award by a wide margin.

Beniers beat out two very worthy candidates, one of which being a former teammate. Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power were the other Calder Memorial Trophy finalists.

Power and Beniers played collegiate hockey together at the University of Michigan. In fact, they entered the NHL Draft the same year. Furthermore, they were the first two selections of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Beniers led all rookies with 57 points this season. The 20-year-old Kraken star helped lead Seattle to their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Seattle made it to the second round before losing to the Dallas Stars.

Power and the Sabres did not make the playoffs this past season. However, they came quite close and proved themselves as a team on the rise. Power scored four goals and 35 points this past season.

As for Skinner, the Oilers goalie had a promising season between the pipes. He started 48 games, winning 29 games. He posted a .913 save percentage and a 2.75 goals-against average. Skinner did struggle in the playoffs, where Edmonton fell in round two.

Beniers did not go first overall in 2021, as the Sabres selected Power. However, the Kraken star currently has a leg up over his former Michigan hockey teammate so far in their NHL careers.