Prospect Info: Zach Benson, LW/C, Wenatchee (WHL), Signed ELC- 2023, 13th Overall

[MOGlLNY]

Benson and Levi are in the same category for me - if each is contributing to winning games, he stays; if he's a detriment he goes. This is not a development year.

So far so good. I'm amazed Benson is still in camp, let alone fitting in perfectly on the top line and PP1. He fully deserves to be here.

+1. If Benson is still flying around after 9 games, keep him up and burn the year. Who cares. If he's tapped out by the time Quinn comes back, send him to the World Juniors then finish the season in the WHL.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

The other thing with Benson is they don't have to commit to 9 games. Right now, he looks the part of an NHL player, but if they play 4 games and he looks behind, they can end the experiment at any time. Just take it one step at a time. Hopefully he makes the decision easy one way or another.

The only risk is that one of their tweeners gets claimed (i.e. Biro). But truly, what are the odds that Biro gets claimed? Most teams have their own version of guys like him. It's certainly not enough to stand in the way of keeping Benson up IMO.

 

[K8fool]

Quinn & JJP didn't play 82 games last year.

So, 82 games is a stretch. But there is a decent chance that he looks so good with Skinner & Thompson that he breaks all of the expectations for a D+1 pick outside of the top 10 who is undersized.

The hard part for Adams may be the ELC slide. And the Savoie & Quinn injuries could potentially allow Adams to give Benson 9 games, then give Savoie 9 games, and then you are close to Quinn being back. The 18th game of the season is the third week of November and that gives you roughly 17 more games before Christmas.

And you also have the PKane rumors floating out there.

I have a feeling that Benson has to really be productive and not have the usual rookie learning curve to stick around on this team that wants to make the p

adams may

Adams may want to move up benson and savoie timeline , for many reasons.. Them and Levi playing minuted this year will prove to any proapect.. Its up to you alone.. There are no rules, You work aaaand > They both ,may be part of this current group.. Ostland grew , I believe him Rosen , Novikov and RJohson are also part of this current group and based on eye test They are quick enougfh of mind, possesing high end skill are slight downgrades if inserted into lineup w biro and rousek and kulich. These will all flash this and next year but we seem to be able to cover any situation woithou paying outside of org unless we have a steal KA seems saavy enough. Ther goalie situation to get us around 50 wins will define him even though i think hes already shown his value alongside Mr Meatballs for turning this around as well or even better than the BIlls

 

[K8fool]

+1. If Benson is still flying around after 9 games, keep him up and burn the year. Who cares. If he's tapped out by the time Quinn comes back, send him to the World Juniors then finish the season in the WHL.

Quite the incentive to see its simply competition. Nothing matters w age or other cliche hesitations from mgmt. If you can help the team you'll get a shot.. If you contribute you will get more games as they protect you and the team. Levi and Benson are both rare situations, KA has some balls to take these risks. If Donny thinks the team is better as we can see hes willing to integrate internally as the enthusiasm of a young benson helps the vets find their games as the kid takes the blame for any early gaffes from the team.. Benson seems very self aware and is willing to be this guy taking hte pressure of all these vets as the entire fan base can taste a bright future of wins

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

If they could carry 14 FWs I wouldn't mind keeping both Savoie and Benson, switching them out over 18 or so games and letting them practice and learn as much as possible. As it is, Benson could go 9, send him back and then Savoie for 9, send him back and then juggle between Rousek, Rosen, Kulich...or just go with Biro and stick with him since he's waivers eligible. It will be interesting to see how the gap gets filled until Quinn returns, but I don't see it as crucial to a playoff spot.

 

[Djp]

As someone who watched their goalie-needy team take a smallish, skilled forward (Rosen) over Wallstedt (or even Cossa) in 2021.....or a smallish, skilled forward in Nylander over Chychrun/Sergachev/McAvoy back in 16........I totally feel your pain.

You're always welcome here as long as you hate the Leafs.

except…right after that first round they traded Reinhart for a 1st+Levi. You don’t think the trade was done by then? Thrir intentions was to acquire a goalie in a trade who was under 23.

Adams may want to move up benson and savoie timeline , for many reasons.. Them and Levi playing minuted this year will prove to any proapect.. Its up to you alone.. There are no rules, You work aaaand > They both ,may be part of this current group.. Ostland grew , I believe him Rosen , Novikov and RJohson are also part of this current group and based on eye test They are quick enougfh of mind, possesing high end skill are slight downgrades if inserted into lineup w biro and rousek and kulich. These will all flash this and next year but we seem to be able to cover any situation woithou paying outside of org unless we have a steal KA seems saavy enough. Ther goalie situation to get us around 50 wins will define him even though i think hes already shown his value alongside Mr Meatballs for turning this around as well or even better than the BIlls

the problem is…..
skinner is scheduled to have his contract end in 2027. If Savoie and benson burn their ELCs there could be a serious cap crunch in summer 2026 with ELCs to sign,and possibly some bridges ending, and Tuch to resign.

if they hold off Savoie and benson then their ELCs go to 2027 summer when Skinners ends.

if they give them each 9 games thrn send thrm doen and slide them then they could use Kulich for 9 thrn you are looking at possible near Quinn returning and possibly Kane playing.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

except…right after that first round they traded Reinhart for a 1st+Levi. You don’t think the trade was done by then? Thrir intentions was to acquire a goalie in a trade who was under 23.



the problem is…..
skinner is scheduled to have his contract end in 2027. If Savoie and benson burn their ELCs there could be a serious cap crunch in summer 2026 with ELCs to sign,and possibly some bridges ending, and Tuch to resign.

if they hold off Savoie and benson then their ELCs go to 2027 summer when Skinners ends.

if they give them each 9 games thrn send thrm doen and slide them then they could use Kulich for 9 thrn you are looking at possible near Quinn returning and possibly Kane playing.

That sounds like a 2026/2027 problem. Not worth worrying about now. Between trades, injuries, players braking out and others falling short, changes to the cap, etc. there's so much that can change between now and then. Making plans that far in advance is how you paralyze yourself in the present.

Plus the Sabres still have guys like Ostlund, Kulich, Wahlberg, future draft picks still in the pipeline. If the cap forces them to move a good player then, they're still well equipped to compensate from within.

 

[Satanphonehome]

I find it odd that Sabres fans, of all people, can’t get their heads around a 170-pound forward successfully developing while playing pro hockey against big, nasty men.

Just last year Isak Rosen and Jiri Kulich did exactly that in Rochester. Both got stronger, both got better. Both not only survived, they thrived.

Yes, Benson is being asked to do it at a higher level, but that‘s a skill thing. The AHL is no less challenging physically, or from a lifestyle standpoint.

The organization has successfully navigated these waters before.

 

[Djp]

I find it odd that Sabres fans, of all people, can’t get their heads around a 170-pound forward successfully developing while playing pro hockey against big, nasty men.

Just last year Isak Rosen and Jiri Kulich did exactly that in Rochester. Both got stronger, both got better. Both not only survived, they thrived.

Yes, Benson is being asked to do it at a higher level, but that‘s a skill thing. The AHL is no less challenging physically, or from a lifestyle standpoint.

The organization has successfully navigated these waters before.

Shiny
High
Impact
Toy
Syndrome

 

[MOGlLNY]

That sounds like a 2026/2027 problem. Not worth worrying about now. Between trades, injuries, players braking out and others falling short, changes to the cap, etc. there's so much that can change between now and then. Making plans that far in advance is how you paralyze yourself in the present.

Plus the Sabres still have guys like Ostlund, Kulich, Wahlberg, future draft picks still in the pipeline. If the cap forces them to move a good player then, they're still well equipped to compensate from within.

But the salary cap in 2030

 

[ValJamesDuex]

On her weekly appearance on Sabres Live just now Shayna Goldman (who I like listening to) compared Benson to Marshachault and Zucharello.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

On her weekly appearance on Sabres Live just now Shayna Goldman (who I like listening to) compared Benson to Marshachault and Zucharello (despite his size).

I heard someone call him a winger version of Nico Hishier, which is my favorite comp so far.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

View attachment 749710

 

[TehDoak]

I find it odd that Sabres fans, of all people, can’t get their heads around a 170-pound forward successfully developing while playing pro hockey against big, nasty men.

Just last year Isak Rosen and Jiri Kulich did exactly that in Rochester. Both got stronger, both got better. Both not only survived, they thrived.

Yes, Benson is being asked to do it at a higher level, but that‘s a skill thing. The AHL is no less challenging physically, or from a lifestyle standpoint.

The organization has successfully navigated these waters before.

Please enlighten us when an undersized 18 year old sabre forward thrived. Mittelstadt was the last guy we moved up right to the NHL and that was D+1 and it took FIVE years for him to get to where he wasn’t a bust. Eichel was a physical beast. Reinhart was d+1.

It hast happened in the last 30 years. So please don’t say we’ve successfully done this before. We haven’t.

 

[ps241]

As a guy that lives in Winnipeg nothing that is happening this pre season surprises me or any of the Ice fans that saw Benson play here live over the years. I dropped by your Draft GDT to tell you how good this pick was and how you guys would love his relentless playing style. I am a sucker for two way skilled forwards and I think he was the top 2 way forward in the draft. He will be a fan favorite and the measuring stick by which you will probably get pissed off at your other top scorers when they float on D.

Congrats and enjoy.

 

[toddkaz]

As a guy that lives in Winnipeg nothing that is happening this pre season surprises me or any of the Ice fans that saw Benson play here live over the years. I dropped by your Draft GDT to tell you how good this pick was and how you guys would love his relentless playing style. I am a sucker for two way skilled forwards and I think he was the top 2 way forward in the draft. He will be a fan favorite and the measuring stick by which you will probably get pissed off at your other top scorers when they float on D.

Congrats and enjoy.

Some scouts had him top 5 and I saw even one scout from elite prospects say they would have taken him after Bedard.

 

[dire wolf]

On her weekly appearance on Sabres Live just now Shayna Goldman (who I like listening to) compared Benson to Marshachault and Zucharello.

Shayna is good -- if you set the playback speed to 0.75x. Not joking - that's how I listen to her.

 

[PatLaFontaineASMR]

Please enlighten us when an undersized 18 year old sabre forward thrived. Mittelstadt was the last guy we moved up right to the NHL and that was D+1 and it took FIVE years for him to get to where he wasn’t a bust. Eichel was a physical beast. Reinhart was d+1.

It hast happened in the last 30 years. So please don’t say we’ve successfully done this before. We haven’t.

Why are we looking at just the Sabres? The organization is completely different from the organization that drafted Mitts. Basically like comparing two different organizations. They're not the same.

Jeff Skinner had 63 points in 82 games as an 18 year old. His pre-draft measurements were 5'10 175lbs. That's pretty close to "undersized" Benson's 5'9.75 170lbs.

 

[Meichel Kane]

Shayna is good -- if you set the playback speed to 0.75x. Not joking - that's how I listen to her.

1.2x psycho here.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

1.2x psycho here.

....1.4x

 

[Archie Lee]

Benson has built-in traits that coaches love (enthusiasm, confidence, a relentless motor, high-end skills, a willingness and aptitude to play both ends of the ice). Few players, combine all of these at such a young age. Players like Kulich and Rosen, as examples, probably combine 2-3 of these traits and are still in the process of developing the others, or at least learning how to minimize the negative impacts of those areas they are deficient in. What we see from Kulich and Rosen is far closer to normal for a high-end prospect than what we have seen from Benson.

Of course, the traits Benson has are the traits that make a player standout in training camp and pre-season. At this time of year, younger peers of Benson might be fighting confidence issues and veteran players are more focused on getting their legs than they are on performance outcomes. These traits also might give an under-sized 18 year old a chance to be successful at the NHL level. A nine game trial is probably the only way to get a sense of whether he can sustain something that resembles this level of play in real NHL games.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

The last 1.5 yrs you'd see Benson consistently being the best player on the Ice over Savoie and Geekie. Savoie has higher end skills ie his skating is at another level but Benson's overall game far outstrips his peers and the majority of NHL players. I was hoping for Danielson as the Sabres pick as I never imagined Benson falling so far.

I'm happy as a pig in shit that Benson fell, much as I was when KA selected Quinn as these two will be difference makers in the near term

 

[Chainshot]

The last 1.5 yrs you'd see Benson consistently being the best player on the Ice over Savoie and Geekie. Savoie has higher end skills ie his skating is at another level but Benson's overall game far outstrips his peers and the majority of NHL players. I was hoping for Danielson as the Sabres pick as I never imagined Benson falling so far.

I'm happy as a pig in shit that Benson fell, much as I was when KA selected Quinn as these two will be difference makers in the near term

Yep, what he's doing is not a surprise to people who have been watching him in the WHL. This is akin to the Sakic pick in '87 for me. Or Point. And I too never imagined he would last that long - had him as the 5th best player in this year's draft so getting him at 13 is nearly handstand worthy.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

He definitely has earned 9 games. With nobody else looking near up to filling Quinn's spot, I'm on board with seeing how it goes and even keeping him on the roster barring a clear stretch of being out-matched. I guess even if he does start to wear out from the schedule, Quinn should be back in time to give Benson some rest.