Zach Benson is now entering his third season in the NHL. With minimal offensive production over his first two seasons, he is expected to make a bigger impact offensively for the Buffalo Sabres this season, as he has recorded 30 points (2023-24) and 28 points (2024-25) in the previous two seasons.
To start this season, Benson had to miss the Sabres’ first three games due to taking a puck to the face in practice just a few days before the season began. The Sabres seemed to miss him in the lineup dearly as the team got off to a rough 0-3-0 start, and there were already questions about whether the team would even come close to breaking their 14-season playoff drought.
Benson’s Early Season Impact
Benson returned to the lineup on Oct. 15 in an 8-4 win against the Ottawa Senators, and since his return, he has been one of the Sabres’ best players. He has recorded seven assists in the five games since his return and is already looking like he will be a major breakout candidate this season.
A U-22 guy that is flying under the radar is Zach Benson. Haven’t heard his name get brought up in elite young guy talks, meanwhile he had 11-19-30 in 71 as an 18 year old. I swear if he had torched the WHL last season he’d stupidly have more hype around him rn.
— Mike Bartner (@MikeBartner) August 26, 2024
Benson, since returning to the lineup, has been getting first-line minutes, as expected, and has taken the first-line left-wing role, being everything the Sabres have hoped for. His impact on the Sabres dives deeper than just his great start offensively this season.
He has made an even bigger impact by doing the little things right. Winning puck battles, being quick on pucks, forechecking and backchecking, being defensively responsible in his own zone, and much more. He creates chaos around the net and absolutely loves being in front of it, and in the dirty areas, to help the Sabres win night in and night out. His energy in the locker room is unmatched—from the vibes to the play on the ice—the Sabres have been a much more energized team since he returned from his injury.
Sabres’ head coach, Lindy Ruff, trusts Benson to get the job done and produce in any situation that he puts him in, getting over 19 minutes of ice time per game, including him being on the first power-play unit and getting significant minutes on the penalty kill as well. It’s not a coincidence that the Sabres are 3-1-0 since Benson’s return.
Benson Is Trending Toward a Breakout Season
Benson is becoming one of the better two-way players in the league. In the last two seasons, he was fantastic defensively — according to Evolving Hockey, he ranked in the 98th percentile — but he struggled offensively, ranking in the 41st percentile. This season, not only has he kept up his disruptive play, but he has also improved his offensive game.
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According to MoneyPuck, he is second on the Sabres in Corsi at 63%, only trailing newly acquired Sabre, Josh Doan, who is an underrated offseason addition. Benson’s on-ice goals percentage is at 66.7%, which is tied for third on the Sabres. His analytics back up how well he has played, and he is trending toward recording his first 50-plus-point season, and it shouldn’t be a shock to anyone if that happens.
Benson’s playstyle is not built on being a physical player who uses his body to create offense and be effective defensively. He’s a smaller player, so he has to use his size to his advantage. Being a feisty, aggressive player on the puck, being quick, and being deceptive with every move he makes—it’s all what makes him such an effective player. His hockey IQ has also grown since entering the league in 2023. Being able to be in the right spots at the right time, reading the play, being one step ahead of where the play is, and he’s only getting better.
Benson is off to a great start this season, and the Sabres’ record has reflected it so far. We’ll see if it continues not only for him but for the rest of the team as well. Is this the season he breaks out and shows everyone what type of player he is becoming?
