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

[Strexvale]

 

[toddkaz]

Damn he is a smart kid. His hockey IQ must be through the roof.

 

[dortt]

he should have displaced Tuch from the top line. That is how good he was.

Tuch can play with Cozens or Mitts on line 2

 

[tsujimoto74]

he should have displaced Tuch from the top line. That is how good he was.

Tuch can play with Cozens or Mitts on line 2

I actually think it's interesting to see him with Greenway/Mitts because I expect that line will have more of a two-way role than the Thompson line. Plus, I'm sure he'll still be getting PP time.

 

[Dingo44]

This was great. Thanks!

 

[BuffaloGooner]

I actually think it's interesting to see him with Greenway/Mitts because I expect that line will have more of a two-way role than the Thompson line. Plus, I'm sure he'll still be getting PP time.

Greenway-Mittelstadt-Benson is the dawg line.

It’s such a good match for all 3 players.

 

[dortt]

Greenway-Mittelstadt-Benson is the dawg line.

It’s such a good match for all 3 players.

Think Tuch is a better fit

 

[Ace]

Damn he is a smart kid. His hockey IQ must be through the roof.

His IQ and compete are both off the charts great.

We’re lucky it’s in a smaller package or he’d have been long gone.

Well…that’s the simple way of saying it I think his drop is a bit more nuanced than that. I don’t think it’s his size that did it…it’s size in combination with two other things.

First…he doesn’t have the blazing straight line speed teams want in a smaller player. He‘s actually a very good skater as we can see. He moves around quickly wherever he wants to get…he just doesn’t have that top line breakaway speed you look for in a small player. Which is whatever to me. He skates backwards and moves laterally around the zone extremely well so it’s actually kind of weird he isn’t a bit faster moving forward. But he thinks the game in a way where he’s ahead of it anyway.

Second…Granato mentioned how his size allows him to slip through to areas he wants to be. That’s true. But it also is what I think is the actual reason he fell (aside from teams prioritizing centers or defense or Arizona loving But). He goes everywhere. It’s a total positive in effective play…but he is so fearless at his size that the injury risk is much bigger than for most. He gets to the front of the net. He goes to the corners. He puts his face right into the most dangerous areas to make a play. And he’s going to catch some beatings. The concern that a player his size who plays with a total lack of fear will get themselves caught badly one too many times and have one of those injuries that you aren’t the same after is a real thing. In a weird way I think if he played a little less fearless at his size it might have helped his stock even though that’s completely backwards in my mind.

Though I still would have taken him 5th or 6th and not thought twice about it. The only players I had definitively above him were Bedard, Carlsson, Fantilli and Michkov. I’m glad the league thought differently.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Faceboner]

Needs a new nickname already taken by a buffalo, now world wide, legend

 

[elchud]

It's tremendous that he fell to us, if they do the draft over he's maybe the 4th pick. Marner was drafted 4th overall, and that's the kind of player he can turn out to be, a forechecking demon who can cause havoc in the neutral zone with elite IQ. Maybe not the passer that Marner but I think he has a better handle than Marner.

He's gonna be an elite 1st line wing.

 

[TheUnusedCrayon]

It's tremendous that he fell to us, if they do the draft over he's maybe the 4th pick. Marner was drafted 4th overall, and that's the kind of player he can turn out to be, a forechecking demon who can cause havoc in the neutral zone with elite IQ. Maybe not the passer that Marner but I think he has a better handle than Marner.

He's gonna be an elite 1st line wing.

His stats in junior for playmaking haven't been rivaled since McDavid so I'd wait to see how his playmaking develops.

 

[EichHart]

Would be shocked if he’s here for 10 games. Love benson, but with him and savoie the last 2 drafts. I really do hope we start drafting or trading for some size for playoff time.

Im also converting my eichel jersey to benson. It’s also my dogs name!

 

[Strat]

Now, will he stay more than 9 games?

 

[Chainshot]

Would be shocked if he’s here for 10 games. Love benson, but with him and savoie the last 2 drafts. I really do hope we start drafting or trading for some size for playoff time.

Im also converting my eichel jersey to benson. It’s also my dogs name!

That was Adams comment in their draft promo - that people are going to be roasting them for liking small guys. This is where Wahlberg is a quality add to the forward prospect group. It also doesn't hurt to have top 6 guys who are 6'6", 6'4", and 6'3" (Tage, Tuch, Cozens) and having traded for another 6'6" guy in Greenway.

 

[truthbluth]

Needs a new nickname already taken by a buffalo, now world wide, legend

I think it's amazing that Benny replied to this tweet with the fire emoji.

 

[Digable5]

That was Adams comment in their draft promo - that people are going to be roasting them for liking small guys. This is where Wahlberg is a quality add to the forward prospect group. It also doesn't hurt to have top 6 guys who are 6'6", 6'4", and 6'3" (Tage, Tuch, Cozens) and having traded for another 6'6" guy in Greenway.

Its not the size of the man in the fight, its the size of the fight in the man.

Sabres fans I'm sure can come up with plenty of names of big players that were infuriatingly passive when it comes to being physical. Size & fight are great, but when it comes to the playoffs, give me smaller players that compete over bigger guys that don't get their nose dirty.

 

[Bombshell11]

Would be shocked if he’s here for 10 games. Love benson, but with him and savoie the last 2 drafts. I really do hope we start drafting or trading for some size for playoff time.

Im also converting my eichel jersey to benson. It’s also my dogs name!

What if he has 9 pts after 9 games?

You shouldn't worry too much about size, NJ had Gionta and Gomez, Buffalo had Briere and Pominville.

 

[tsujimoto74]

What if he has 9 pts after 9 games?

You shouldn't worry too much about size, NJ had Gionta and Gomez, Buffalo had Briere and Pominville.

Also Buffalo has some big guys (Tuch, Thompson, Cozens, Power, Dahlin, Samuelsson). Having a couple smaller players sprinkled in isn’t going to hurt anything.

 

[TageGod]

Think Tuch is a better fit

Tuch is a better fit for every line because he is by far our best winger.

It's tremendous that he fell to us, if they do the draft over he's maybe the 4th pick. Marner was drafted 4th overall, and that's the kind of player he can turn out to be, a forechecking demon who can cause havoc in the neutral zone with elite IQ. Maybe not the passer that Marner but I think he has a better handle than Marner.

He's gonna be an elite 1st line wing.

As much as I like Benson, His size, speed, and shot will likely limit his upside to 2nd liner. Don't react too much to the preseason. Life will be much harder for him opening night. He also has a tendency to take penalties.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Its not the size of the man in the fight, its the size of the fight in the man.

Tell that to the Bills who have two small guys hurt right now in Milano and White. Size and smarts help you stay healthy in sports, so you really need to be smart at all times if you aren't big.

 

[Caroline Says ll]

I get really confused at the issue of size in the NHL for some posters. It really does not matter the size of someone in regards to injuries - just as it does not matter size for playoff performances. Look at any team that has deep cup runs or cup wins and you will see no correlation between production and height. No good player who is 5'10 suddenly becomes irrelevant in the playoffs because they are undersized.

It matters how you play.

​

 

[Ace]

I get really confused at the issue of size in the NHL for some posters. It really does not matter the size of someone in regards to injuries - just as it does not matter size for playoff performances. Look at any team that has deep cup runs or cup wins and you will see no correlation between production and height. No good player who is 5'10 suddenly becomes irrelevant in the playoffs because they are undersized.

It matters how you play.

It’s a lost cause. This team could ice 17 7 foot guys and someone would bitch about the 18th skater. Even when he’s the one who goes to the dirty areas.

 

[TageGod]

I get really confused at the issue of size in the NHL for some posters. It really does not matter the size of someone in regards to injuries - just as it does not matter size for playoff performances. Look at any team that has deep cup runs or cup wins and you will see no correlation between production and height. No good player who is 5'10 suddenly becomes irrelevant in the playoffs because they are undersized.

It matters how you play.

​

Size has advantages- Length, power, easier to reach shooters to deflect, poke, or steal the puck. They can protect the puck better, harder to knock off the puck.

 

[Caroline Says ll]

Size has advantages- Length, power, easier to reach shooters to deflect, poke, or steal the puck. They can protect the puck better, harder to knock off the puck.

If that is how the taller bigger guy uses their size yes, those are great positives.

Just as if the smaller forward uses his size to their advance there are large positives.

Are we honestly going to pretend that players like Marchessault, Kane, Hughes, Kessel, Marner, Marchand, Kellar, Caufield, Spurgeon etc do not use their size to their advantage? Or you think they just persevere through their crippling height and size disability.