Feisty 21-year-old forward locked up through 2032-33 on a $7.5 million/year AAV contract
The Buffalo Sabres have been very busy with reshaping the roster this summer moving out Michael Kesselring, Bowen Byram and Alex Tuch. However, the move they made in the last hour or so is likely the most popular of them all, extending winger Zach Benson with a new seven-year contract.
The forward has been excellent value for the money especially in the just-finished season, ending up with 13 goals and 30 assists in the 65 regular season games playing up and down the lineup. Benson then added 5 goals and 4 assists in 13 playoff games as the Sabres finally ended their barren postseason streak and were within one goal of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Benson’s brand of grit and passion saw him quickly become a fan favorite especially so in his third season, and he was set to become a restricted free agent in a week when free agency opens.
General Manager Jarmo Kekäläinen acknowledged the value of the feisty forward –
“I see him as a true core piece that fills all the boxes. I can’t say enough good things about Zach Benson. He’s got skill, he’s got hockey sense, he’s got instincts, he’s relentless, he’s a competitor. What a great playoff he had and, again, I’m so excited about the level that he can get to, still. … Just wait until he becomes the big, strong man that we’re going to be pushing him to get to.”