I love Benson as much as anyone but he does not protect the puck like Maroon, not even close. Maroon is impossible to knock off the puck. I do see him as a potential fit there someday though given that he is a very intelligent player with supreme playmaking skills, and good puck recovery skills.
Benson doesn't have the puck protection like Maroon does but his playmaking and hockey IQ often makes it so he doesn't have to hold on to the puck super long. I think he has what it takes to be a great winger for McDavid within the next 2 seasons.
Couldn't agree more. His top end speed isn't great, but he's got good edges, he's strong on his feet, and has good lateral mobility. There's work to do, but anytime I hear someone say his skating is atrocious I question how much they have seen him play.
The guys skating at worse is average. He doesn't have a high top speed but his edgework and exceleration are all better than Maroons.
A Benson, McDavid line would still need someone who can score as both are primarily play makers.
Well McDavid does have 40 goals 2 years in a row, there's no reason another play maker couldn't push him over 50.
I mean...Draisaitl is primarily a playmaker too. If Benson is with McDavid and Draisaitl that works. It Drai is off you need to replace him with a guy who can fill the net.
I mean more smart players together on a line, should lead to more offensive success, one would think, but we'll have to see. Eitherway I think there's a future for Benson in the top-6.
That and continuing to get stronger. He's a guy that has the potential to be a 2-way retrieval guy who can win a lot of loose pucks for you and is really good at distributing it. Skating will need to improve if he wants to be a threat as a transition player and if he wants to be the prototypical 2-way winger with some grit. His shot really isn't a weakness of his, he just doesn't use it as much as he could as he primarily thinks pass first. Aside from skating I'd honestly like to see him focus on his work in front of the net. If he can learn to score more off rebounds and tips he would be very effective in that role because he's very good at reading the play and getting to loose pucks down low.
Everyone.
