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

[Selanne00008]

Why Zach Benson is getting a look on the Sabres' top line

Benson played with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch on Monday, and Sabres coach Don Granato said he could “stabilize” the top line.

theathletic.com

I don't know if that shines more brightly about Benson, or that it shows the lack of ability for older players to be responsible and listen.

 

[KeyserSoze81]

I don't know if that shines more brightly about Benson, or that it shows the lack of ability for older players to be responsible and listen.

Yes. It also says a lot about this team's roster and prospects - they are so starved for competent 2 way play that the first person to show that ability (a ~5'10 18 year old weighing 170 lbs) is now on the first line. Benson is a gem of a hockey player, no doubt, but I am left hoping that his work ethic rubs off on the rest of the players.

This could also be me just projecting - I really want to see competent 2 way play.

 

[joshjull]

I don't know if that shines more brightly about Benson, or that it shows the lack of ability for older players to be responsible and listen.

For some players it’s just an innate part of who they are as a player. Someone like Benson doesn’t need to be taught to play a responsible two way game. He just does.

 

[BerthMania]

He's not been producing lately and he only played 11 minutes last game. Is he playing well? Why isn't he putting up point? (I'm a habs fan, I don't watch the games I just really lik Benson)

 

[Chainshot]

He's not been producing lately and he only played 11 minutes last game. Is he playing well? Why isn't he putting up point? (I'm a habs fan, I don't watch the games I just really lik Benson)

He's playing really well and wound up on the top line with Tuch and Thompson. However, there have been times when he, Krebs and Robinson get sat even though he's one of their most consistent play drivers. The plays are there, it's a matter of the puck starting to go in for him or others.

 

[Djp]

Todays 32 thoughts…. marek/ Friedman were in Victoria. They interviewed Patrick around 1:20….hr talks a bit about Benson. Later he talks about Sabres and Hasek

 

[Snippit]

He is at 38 games, 2 more until the all-important 40 game mark which will take him a year closer to UFA. Is it crazy to send him down still? Season is lost and his scoring has dried up. Although he still looks like he belongs on most nights, that doesn't mean you need to be in the NHL.

Wenatchee is still competitive in spite of trading Savoie and Geekie. Let him tear up the last 20 games, plus see how far he can take that team in the playoffs

 

[debaser66]

He is at 38 games, 2 more until the all-important 40 game mark which will take him a year closer to UFA. Is it crazy to send him down still? Season is lost and his scoring has dried up. Although he still looks like he belongs on most nights, that doesn't mean you need to be in the NHL.

Wenatchee is still competitive in spite of trading Savoie and Geekie. Let him tear up the last 20 games, plus see how far he can take that team in the playoffs

I don't think saving a year towards UFA is worth hampering his development. he has nothing left to learn in junior. he is already more established in some aspects of the game than some vets on this team.

 

[dortt]

He was taken off scoring lines due to lack of production.

Do not turn him into the next girgs. Send him diwn, let him regain some scoring confidence

 

[Beerz]

He was taken off scoring lines due to lack of production.

Do not turn him into the next girgs. Send him diwn, let him regain some scoring confidence

This is silly.

 

[TageGod]

He was taken off scoring lines due to lack of production.

Do not turn him into the next girgs. Send him diwn, let him regain some scoring confidence

He is not being hampered by playing with Tage Cozens or Mitts. He just simply is not producing. Because he is YOUNG. He does not have the shot at his age to beat goaltenders like Peterka, or the speed to work off the rush. That leaves the difficult board battles and getting to the net (kid muscles). He has done great but any expectations of 40+ points was just not realistic.

 

[HOOats]

I know we were still playing out what little playoff hopes we had in mid-December with Benson in a significant role, but in hindsight a trip to WJC could have been beneficial. Give him a break from the grind, let him go hang with his cohort and try to dominate peers.

That said, I'm fine with his season seeing as AHL wasn't an option. He has kept his head above water at 5v5 while gaining invaluable experience of just how competitive the NHL is. He was setting up a lot of offense that just didn't finish for whatever reason, but I have no doubt that will come. He isn't Krebs, at all.

 

[dortt]

He is not being hampered by playing with Tage Cozens or Mitts. He just simply is not producing. Because he is YOUNG. He does not have the shot at his age to beat goaltenders like Peterka, or the speed to work off the rush. That leaves the difficult board battles and getting to the net (kid muscles). He has done great but any expectations of 40+ points was just not realistic.

he has played some games recently on the 4th line.

we should not be grooming him to be the next girgs. We should be grooming him to be our top line winger. Playing with Girgs isn't going to help that

 

[TageGod]

he has played some games recently on the 4th line.

we should not be grooming him to be the next girgs. We should be grooming him to be our top line winger. Playing with Girgs isn't going to help that

That was with Krebs and Robinson.

 

[Faceboner]

He is probably getting burnt out as the pace is significantly higher than juniors, he was keeping up and excelling at first but being able to do that for 72+ games is a challenge especially for Benson who is currently lacking the physical tools which is no surprise because he is an 18 year old rookie. The bright side is he remains effective because of an insanely high iq and has even excelled especially in areas you wouldn't think, like board battles and play around the net also no small part do to his high end motor and compete. Once his shot, skating, balance and overall strength improve he will be a top flight player he already excells in the areas hardest to teach and his tools aren't awful as his hands are sick as hell

 

[Tatanka]

I think I would like to see him as the full JQ replacement. PK, PP everything. Promote someone deserving in Rochester to ride shotgun with ERob and Krebs. I think it is worth a sustained look.

 

[Chainshot]

Doing a quick check, Benson has been on the ice for 11:13 with Girgensons for the entire season per Dobbers line tracking stats. That's out of 569:43 of total TOI or under 2% of his total ice time.

 

[Chainshot]

Really amazing to watch:



I wonder if anyone has broken down which official(s) have made these calls.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[dortt]

Rochester was the best place for him. Of course, we cannot send him there due to an idiotic rule

Really need to allow teams 1 first rounder out of 3 years can be sent to the AHL

 

[Misko]

Worrying that Benson might accidentally get coached into being a Girgensons is a funny worry considering their similarity more or less starts and ends with being drafted within a spot of each other in the 1st.

I'm a big, big Benson believer. He is only 18 years old and already understands the game better than most NHLers. Currently has 3 pts in his last 4 games, let the kid cook.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[toddkaz]

Worrying that Benson might accidentally get coached into being a Girgensons is a funny worry considering their similarity more or less starts and ends with being drafted within a spot of each other in the 1st.

I'm a big, big Benson believer. He is only 18 years old and already understands the game better than most NHLers. Currently has 3 pts in his last 4 games, let the kid cook.

I have posted that concern a few times. Players come to this team and lose their individuality.

Clifton was banging and pushing guys around when he first got here and now thats gone.

The team takes on the personality of the coach.

 

[Zman5778]

Rochester was the best place for him. Of course, we cannot send him there due to an idiotic rule

Really need to allow teams 1 first rounder out of 3 years can be sent to the AHL

If we had that exception, my bet is that we would have used it this year on Savoie.

Benson has shown that he pretty clearly belongs in the NHL.

 

[OkimLom]

Worrying that Benson might accidentally get coached into being a Girgensons is a funny worry considering their similarity more or less starts and ends with being drafted within a spot of each other in the 1st.

I'm a big, big Benson believer. He is only 18 years old and already understands the game better than most NHLers. Currently has 3 pts in his last 4 games, let the kid cook.

Buffalo doesn't exactly have a track record of getting the most out of the their talent. Usually what a prospect brings to the to Sabres in terms creativity and individual skill, tends to be their plateau of that skill set. Not many guys have shown an increase in their talent from the time they were drafted. A lot of times, in hopes of developing a player to play "the right way", the organization and the player lose a bit of that skill, and only get that back once they get comfortable in playing in the system.

He's a smart player for sure. I'm just hoping he brings the sort of dynamic play at both ends of the ice that he showed in Juniors but at the NHL level. I just don't trust the Sabres coaching staff to be able to bring it out of him.