Before opening night, it’s relative Kraken newcomer Matty Beniers’ solemn duty to pass along locker-room wisdom to true newcomer Shane Wright.
“[Ryan] Donato told it to me my first [NHL] game, I think I said the same thing to him — ‘You’ll never feel better ever again in your life, in a hockey game, ever,’ ” Beniers said. “You have endless legs. You can skate as fast as you can all the time.
“It’ll be exciting for him and for all of us to see him out there. Hopefully he pots [scores] one for us.”
The Beniers-Wright era begins Wednesday night, with both teenagers. Training camp is over. The enemy is no longer sore hips or summer cobwebs — it’s the Anaheim Ducks.
“They have great work ethic. They’re great kids,” forward Yanni Gourde said of Beniers and Wright. “They love to learn, they love to be out there and try new stuff.
“That’s the key at this level. If you want to stick around, you have to be willing to work really hard and put the effort in every single day. That’s what they’re doing.”
Wednesday marks Beniers’ 11th NHL regular-season game and first season opener, but he said feels like it’s any other game. He added 11 or 12 pounds in the offseason, which is helping him in the corners. He scored in all four preseason outings. He wants to keep producing and stay healthy.
“I would like to make it to the playoffs,” he said.
The Kraken kick things off with a back-to-back set in California. They face the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday before returning for Saturday night’s home opener against Vegas at Climate Pledge Arena.
The Ducks were the Kraken’s closest neighbor at the bottom of the Pacific Division standings last season, but Anaheim still finished 16 points ahead of the first-year franchise. They’re both considered postseason long shots, counting on young stars to make serious headway or at least work toward a brighter future.
Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale and Mason McTavish are in the next wave of talent for the Ducks, after Ryan Getzlaf — Anaheim’s all-time leader in points and games played — retired following 17 seasons and 12 as captain.
The Kraken were still working on themselves, but coach Dave Hakstol said they’ll break down the Ducks before the first of four meetings.
“The reality is that you get a good workday in, you get to get on a flight and get ready for a real game,” Hakstol said. “That’s what we’ve all worked toward.”
Forward Joonas Donskoi (upper body) will begin the season on injured reserve, in addition to goaltender Chris Driedger, who is recovering from surgery on a torn ACL. Jaden Schwartz (lower body) was a full practice participant Tuesday at Kraken Community Iceplex and could play Wednesday. Daniel Sprong is dealing with immigration paperwork and could join the team in California.
The top two line groups remained mostly untouched from Monday to Tuesday, but with Schwartz back Gourde shifted from winger to center.
Hakstol has options in Gourde, usually listed as a center but with what the coach called “energy and playmaking ability” on the wing.
“We’re going to have some different options from night to night. That’s one look that we may go with,” Hakstol said. “You haven’t seen it over the last couple days of practice, but we wanted to get that in today.”
When the anthem finishes, the music quiets and the puck hits the dot at center ice Wednesday, it all counts.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re in Year 1 or Year 20, you still get those jitters,” alternate captain Jordan Eberle said. “That’s why you play.
“More than anything, I’m just excited about the group we have here and what we can do.”