Zachary Ruben Benson (born May 12, 2005) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 13th overall by the Sabres in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.[2]
| Zachary Benson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
May 12, 2005 Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 170[1] lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team | Buffalo Sabres | ||
| NHL draft |
13th overall, 2023 Buffalo Sabres | ||
| Playing career | 2023–present | ||
Playing career edit
Benson finished third in WHL scoring in 2022–23 with 36 goals and 98 points in 60 games, behind fellow BC-born prospect Connor Bedard.[3]
On July 28, 2023, Benson signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Sabres.[4] On October 12, 2023, Benson made his NHL debut against the New York Rangers, where he logged a minor penalty in a 5–1 loss.[5] On November 22, 2023, Benson scored his first career goal in a 3–4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals.[6]
International play edit
At the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Benson had two goals and five assists in five games, helping Canada win gold.[7]
Career statistics edit
Regular season and playoffs edit
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2020–21 | Winnipeg Ice | WHL | 24 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Winnipeg Ice | WHL | 58 | 25 | 38 | 63 | 28 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 10 | ||
| 2022–23 | Winnipeg Ice | WHL | 60 | 36 | 62 | 98 | 49 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 8 | ||
| 2023–24 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 71 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 71 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International edit
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Canada | HG18 | 
|
5 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | |
| Junior totals | 5 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | ||||
Awards and honours edit
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| WHL | ||
| East First All-Star Team | 2023 | [8] |
| CHL Third All-Star Team | 2023 | |
References edit
- ^ https://www.nhl.com/sabres/player/zach-benson-8484145
- ^ Cosentino, Sam. "Prospect of Interest: The dynamic offensive game of Zach Benson". Sportsnet. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ Clipperton, Joshua. "Zach Benson's winding road primed for next stop — the NHL draft". BurnabyNow. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ Reporter, Mike Harrington News Sports (July 28, 2023). "Sabres sign first-round pick Zach Benson to his entry-level contract". Buffalo News. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Hoppe, Bill (October 12, 2023). "Sabres fall in early hole, lose opener; Zach Benson sharp in NHL debut". buffalohockeybeat.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ Brehm, Mike (November 22, 2023). "Buffalo Sabres rookie Zach Benson scores first goal on highlight-reel, between-the-legs shot". USA Today. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ Engel, Heather. "Benson uses speed, work ethic to emerge as top 2023 NHL Draft prospect". NHL. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ "WHL names 2022-23 East Division First All-Star Team". Western Hockey League. March 28, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
External links edit
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database