In the coming days, the Buffalo Sabres will likely face a decision: whether or not to send rookie forward Zach Benson back to juniors. The first year of Benson’s entry-level contract will kick in once he plays his tenth NHL game, and to this point, the Sabres haven’t had to make their decision, in part because of Benson’s injury that kept him out of the lineup for a bit.
As of writing, Benson has appeared in eight NHL games and registered four assists. He’s looked incredibly sharp and is on the verge of his first career NHL goal. He’s certainly looked ready for the big league, and even if he hasn’t always been credited with an assist, he’s played a part in so many of the team’s opportunities and goals this young season.
The Winnipeg Ice, where Benson played the last two seasons, were sold and moved to Wenatchee, Washington over the summer. Wenatchee currently sits second in the WHL’s Western Conference with a record of 14-8-2-0 and 30 points. Roy Sommer was named the team’s new head coach in mid-October, after the earlier firing of Kevin Constantine following a league investigation. The Wild have won 15 games since Sommer’s hiring.
Benson has certainly earned a spot with the NHL club, but will the team decide to keep him, or elect to send him back to his junior club?