W/C Zachary Benson - (2023, 13th, BUF)

[Havok89]

who will sit when Tage and Quinn returns?

Levi should be sent to Rochester

Olofsson is likely to be replaced by Quinn

 

[Dubi Doo]

He's been amazing this year. I haven't seen a prospect like him in Buffalo's system since I started watching the Sabres back in 03-04. He routinely is one step ahead mentally than players who have been in the league for years. He'll be a beaut:

https://x.com/ARHockeyStats/status/1732114297658962383?s=20

 

[Bombshell11]

No way he makes it past 9 games.

16 GP currently

 

[LeProspector]

Can’t wait for the “what happened to Zach Benson?” threads in 5 years when it turns out the Sabres rushed him to the NHL becuase they’re trying to find a solution to the decade and a half problem of them missing the playoffs.

 

[42]

16 GP currently

I stand corrected. Still, it might be better for him to play elsewhere this year.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Can’t wait for the “what happened to Zach Benson?” threads in 5 years when it turns out the Sabres rushed him to the NHL becuase they’re trying to find a solution to the decade and a half problem of them missing the playoffs.

Nah. He's earned. It's comical watching him outsmart savvy vets in this league. As a Sabres fan once said, he makes all the easy plays we see unfold on the TV screen but can be incredibly hard to see on the ice.

 

[Raistlin]

Nah. He's earned. It's comical watching him outsmart savvy vets in this league. As a Sabres fan once said, he makes all the easy plays we see unfold on the TV screen but can be incredibly hard to see on the ice.

because he's 5'2?

sorry, its just right there....

 

[Shroud of Orrin]

Can’t wait for the “what happened to Zach Benson?” threads in 5 years when it turns out the Sabres rushed him to the NHL becuase they’re trying to find a solution to the decade and a half problem of them missing the playoffs.

Z-Ben is a hockey player. I wouldn’t be worried about him in the least.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

The real deal. 18. 170 lb. 13OA.

Just get it to me, Tuchie. I'll take it from there.



Hey, Tuch. You need some sauce? Incoming.

 

[Ace]

I stand corrected. Still, it might be better for him to play elsewhere this year.

Gonna need you to triple down soon. Keep this party going.

He’s not only the best two way forward on the team…winning puck battles all over the ice, jumping plays to move the puck…constantly getting himself to the front of the net…but now he’s producing points and is on the PP and PK.

Everything in his game is a pro game. He doesn’t have the junior habits. The reason players aren’t ready young is that they have to learn how to play the game he excels at. He could never score and he is one of the most effective players on the ice.

 

[Gold Standard]

So, World Juniors is out of the question. I look forward then to Benson making his Team Canada debut at the World Championship in May. Hopefully Cozens has a better second half of the season and joins him in Prague.

and yes, before anybody gets smart with their replies, I am aware Benson played a U18 summer tournament for Team Canada.

 

[Kshahdoo]

He was born the same day as me, just almost 40 years later...

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

He was born the same day as me, just almost 40 years later...

God you old .

 

[Team Cozens]

So, World Juniors is out of the question. I look forward then to Benson making his Team Canada debut at the World Championship in May. Hopefully Cozens has a better second half of the season and joins him in Prague.

and yes, before anybody gets smart with their replies, I am aware Benson played a U18 summer tournament for Team Canada.

Sorry, Benson and Cozens will be busy in the NHL playoffs in May. They will have already eliminated the Leafs in the first round in April. They won't sweep the Leafs.... that's crazy talk.

 

[dire wolf]

I love everything about this kid's game. He will be the best 2-way forward on this team sooner rather than later. Can't wait to see him in 2-3 years with more experience and strength. Heck - he could still grow an inch or two.

 

[Ace]

There was a play last night that won’t show up in any highlight package that shows why he made the league. Two Golden Knights were on the wall ready to get the puck out of their D zone when Benson skated over, dove to chip the puck away from both of them..got it to a Dman and kept the offensive pressure going. It resulted in a good shot on net . No rebound allowed by the goalie. If there had been…Benson had already gotten to the net for it.

Does it all the time.

He doesn’t play like a rookie. Let alone an 18 year old one.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Anyone who thinks this kid doesn’t belong in the NHL either has no clue what an NHL player looks like or hasn’t watched this kid. He’s such an effective 200’ player already. Like, I hope some of the Sabres vets are watching his tape and trying to be more like Benson.

 

[Ace]

Anyone who thinks this kid doesn’t belong in the NHL either has no clue what an NHL player looks like or hasn’t watched this kid. He’s such an effective 200’ player already. Like, I hope some of the Sabres vets are watching his tape and trying to be more like Benson.

People love to throw around words like “needs more development” or “needs to improve their all around game” for any young player. Players need to learn defensive responsibility and a willingness to go to hard areas and yeah…that’s true. The problem in this case is that Benson doesn’t just do those things…he does them more often and better than most of the forwards on the team. He isn’t going to return to the WHL and learn what it takes to compete in the NHL. He competes in the NHL in all the ways you hope players develop years later. And it’s not a case of him outscoring issues. That happens. A young player will put up boat loads of points and be a total liability in any other way…but they’re so talented you roll with it and they work hard enough that they’ll figure it out.

Benson figured out the hard stuff first. What he needs to ”learn” is how to produce consistently at this level. Which…if people could bury some of the setups he’s put on their sticks would already be happening. But Either way…it’s not something he is going to learn in juniors where everything he does works and he was already an incredibly productive player. He can only learn that playing pro. It’s kind of backwards but his off the puck play is so strong he gets to develop the fun part. Most young players who stick do so because they can do the fun part enough to wait on the rest. It’s crazy how he thinks and competes and defends at his age in the NHL. But it isn’t improving by playing in a league he was already dominant in.

 

[Panthaz89]

People love to throw around words like “needs more development” or “needs to improve their all around game” for any young player. Players need to learn defensive responsibility and a willingness to go to hard areas and yeah…that’s true. The problem in this case is that Benson doesn’t just do those things…he does them more often and better than most of the forwards on the team. He isn’t going to return to the WHL and learn what it takes to compete in the NHL. He competes in the NHL in all the ways you hope players develop years later. And it’s not a case of him outscoring issues. That happens. A young player will put up boat loads of points and be a total liability in any other way…but they’re so talented you roll with it and they work hard enough that they’ll figure it out.

Benson figured out the hard stuff first. What he needs to ”learn” is how to produce consistently at this level. Which…if people could bury some of the setups he’s put on their sticks would already be happening. But Either way…it’s not something he is going to learn in juniors where everything he does works and he was already an incredibly productive player. He can only learn that playing pro. It’s kind of backwards but his off the puck play is so strong he gets to develop the fun part. Most young players who stick do so because they can do the fun part enough to wait on the rest. It’s crazy how he thinks and competes and defends at his age in the NHL. But it isn’t improving by playing in a league he was already dominant in.

It's kind of the opposite when it comes to Kulich with Sabres fans saying he needs to work on his defensive game and it is actually needed.

 

[Faceboner]

People love to throw around words like “needs more development” or “needs to improve their all around game” for any young player. Players need to learn defensive responsibility and a willingness to go to hard areas and yeah…that’s true. The problem in this case is that Benson doesn’t just do those things…he does them more often and better than most of the forwards on the team. He isn’t going to return to the WHL and learn what it takes to compete in the NHL. He competes in the NHL in all the ways you hope players develop years later. And it’s not a case of him outscoring issues. That happens. A young player will put up boat loads of points and be a total liability in any other way…but they’re so talented you roll with it and they work hard enough that they’ll figure it out.

Benson figured out the hard stuff first. What he needs to ”learn” is how to produce consistently at this level. Which…if people could bury some of the setups he’s put on their sticks would already be happening. But Either way…it’s not something he is going to learn in juniors where everything he does works and he was already an incredibly productive player. He can only learn that playing pro. It’s kind of backwards but his off the puck play is so strong he gets to develop the fun part. Most young players who stick do so because they can do the fun part enough to wait on the rest. It’s crazy how he thinks and competes and defends at his age in the NHL. But it isn’t improving by playing in a league he was already dominant in.

It's really speed strength and overall shooting ability he needs to improve which will happen naturally over the years and he will produce a lot of points

 

[Ralonzo]

The past two games, Benson is the clear driver of the line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.

 

[Ace]

It's kind of the opposite when it comes to Kulich with Sabres fans saying he needs to work on his defensive game and it is actually needed.

If Kulich was as bad defensively as people made him out to be…he’d still deserve a call up. I watch Rochester. He’s not going to learn anything about it there. Less than pretty much anywhere.

 

[42]

He's still in the NHL but seems to be struggling; just 1 assist in his last 14 games. Is sticking around the best option for his development?

 

[Breakers]

He's still in the NHL but seems to be struggling; just 1 assist in his last 14 games. Is sticking around the best option for his development?

I mean Draisaitl reached a 37 GP make and they still sent him back and edmonton caught some heat saying why didnt you do it earlier, but they bit the bullet was maybe one of the best thing for his development

Benson is at 38 GP and has 14 points in comparison to Draisaitl's 10

 

[landy92mack29]

He shouldn't be in the NHL like I've been saying all year. Can he play in the NHL? Sure but so can a decent amount of the top half a 1st round picks their d+1. It's more about what's best for him in the long run. Don't do what Columbus did with Sillinger