Matty Beniers defends Seattle Kraken after Jason Robertson rejected trade
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 26: Jason Robertson #21 of the Dallas Stars skates against Matty Beniers #10 of the Seattle Kraken during the second period of a game at Climate Pledge Arena on November 26, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Christopher Mast / NHLI / Getty Images)
Kraken fans felt a bit scorned this summer when Dallas Stars standout Jason Robertson vetoed a trade to Seattle this summer.
It turns out the players felt some frustration with the situation.
In an interview with Mark Lazerus of The Athletic at the NHL's preseason media tour in Las Vegas, Kraken center Matty Beniers admitted that Robertson's rejection hit him hard too.
"Yeah, absolutely," he said. "There’s a tough rep about Seattle because it’s rainy, and maybe the city. But guys love it in Seattle — the guys that are there. When the sun’s out, it’s beautiful. There’s so much nature; there are a lot of things to do. So yeah, it obviously doesn’t feel good when you’re on a team and you try to get someone else and they don’t want to come. But at the same time, if you don’t want to be here, we don’t want you, anyway."
The backstory:
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported in June that the Kraken had made an eight-year, $15 million per season contract offer to Robertson, who was a restricted free agent this summer. Robertson declined to make the move as he ultimately signed a one-year, $12 million deal with Dallas that will allow him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The $15 million per year offer to Robertson would have made him the second-highest paid player in the NHL behind only Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov when it was presented in June. Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks surpassed Kaprizov this summer when the Ducks matched an offer sheet Carlsson signed with the Philadelphia Flyers.
On the heels of forward Artemi Panarin declining a $14 million per year offer to join the Kraken in a trade from the New York Rangers the year before, a news cycle grabbed hold across the NHL landscape, lambasting the Kraken for their inability to be a desired destination for players and assumptions about why that has been the case.
In Robertson's case, it appears it was more about control over his future than any specific concern about Seattle. He also declined a trade to the St. Louis Blues – according to Jeff Marek of The Daily Faceoff. By signing a restricted free agent tender in Dallas, Robertson can become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Beniers said he was glad players have the ability to control their future in the NHL, but that he wants players that want to be in Seattle.
"It’s up to them; it’s their decision," he said. "Every team, you want guys that want to be there. You don’t want to bring someone in that doesn’t want to be there. It just won’t work out."
Featured
Report: Jason Robertson declines trade, contract offer from Seattle Kraken
Dallas Stars standout winger Jason Robertson declined an eight-year sign-and-trade contract with the Seattle Kraken worth approximately $15 million a season, according to a report from Sportsnet.
The Source: Information in this story came from The Athletic and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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