The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Die By The Blade community. It was a combination of staff writers and over 200 readers that ranked Buffalo Sabres players under the age of 25 as of August 1, 2023. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production to rank each player. Staff votes counted equally with reader votes.
Zach Benson
Drafted: 2023 – 1st Round (13th Overall)
Position: LW
Born: May 12, 2005 – 18 Years Old
2022-2023 stats: WHL – 60 GP – 36-62-98, Playoffs – 15 GP – 7-10-17
2022 T25U25 Ranking: N/A
At first glance, it might seem like Zach Benson is just another undersized first round pick by the Sabres. However, Buffalo may have gotten the steal of the draft when he fell to them in June. Benson has turned some heads in training camp this year and has gotten a look with Skinner and Thompson during preseason games. He combines his prolific offensive talent with elite hockey sense and a relentless work ethic. The Sabres had him in their top 10 of this year’s draft and he’s done everything he can to prove them right so far.
Buffalo’s scouts had plenty of time to watch Benson’s game develop in the WHL while he skated on fellow Sabre Matt Savoie’s wing. You can see why they thought so highly of him with his impressive training camp. He possesses elite playmaking ability, but his greatest attribute is how well he thinks the game. Even at 18 years old, he can process the game faster than many NHL skaters. He’s been a contributor on the preseason powerplay with both his vision and his willingness to crash the net. Here are a couple of powerplay highlights from this preseason:
The awareness to find Skinner alone on the wall is a perfect example of his elite offensive awareness. His rebound goal is an example of being in the right place at the right time: a situation he finds himself in often. You can’t teach size, but you can’t teach that level of positional and spatial awareness, either.
It’s hard to find a weakness in his game but some have pointed to his lack of top end speed. However, he is excellent on his edges which helps him close gaps on the forecheck and force defenders into turnovers. Here’s a perfect example of Benson using his strong edgework and small-area agility to keep opponents hemmed in their own zone:
Benson’s combination of raw talent and elite hockey IQ could make him a special player for Buffalo. Last year, the debate for best Sabres’ forward prospect was between Savoie and Jiri Kulich. Benson is currently making a strong claim to that title.
2023 Buffalo Sabres Top 25 Under 25 –
#11: Matt Savoie