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Zach Benson
Left wing · BUF · NHL

Zach Benson

Age
21
Height
5'10"
Weight
178 lb
Shoots
L
Drafted
2023, round 1, 13th overall
Born
CAN
2026-27
NHL · Buffalo Sabres
Games
8
Goals
0
Assists
5
Points
5

His NHL ratings and game log →

Prospect score · 2026-27
Blue chip

NHL regular, measured on the prospect scale

3rd among BUF players 23 and under

+1.1WAR a season if he sticks
Outlook
NHL odds>99%Becomes a full-time NHL player — 200 games by 26
Impact odds61%Better than the typical NHL regular among forwards
ArrivalArrived219 NHL games so far
WAR a season if he sticks+0.5+1.1+1.8Low, middle and high outcomes among his comparables who became regulars

Of the 10 players most like him at the same point in their development, 10 became full-time NHL players.

Development

His scoring, converted to an NHL equivalent, against every player his age and position that season. Zero is the average player his age; the band is where his comparables were at each age.

-10+1+2+3151617181920Age2020-21, age 15, 24 GP: +1.43 vs. his age group (0.15 NHL-equivalent points per game)2021-22, age 16, 58 GP: +1.38 vs. his age group (0.19 NHL-equivalent points per game)2022-23, age 17, 60 GP: +1.82 vs. his age group (0.29 NHL-equivalent points per game)2023-24, age 18, 71 GP: +2.21 vs. his age group (0.42 NHL-equivalent points per game)2024-25, age 19, 75 GP: +1.14 vs. his age group (0.37 NHL-equivalent points per game)2025-26, age 20, 65 GP: +2.42 vs. his age group (0.66 NHL-equivalent points per game)
HimMiddle half of his comps at that ageAverage player his age
Comparables

Past prospects at the same position and the same stage after their draft, matched on draft slot, age, size and league-adjusted production. What they became is already known. The outcome is judged at 26: 200 NHL games by then makes a regular.

#PlayerMatchNHL GP by 26Career NHL GPOutcomeWAR a season
1Kailer Yamamoto2017 · #22 · at 2139%374377Regular+0.75
2Clayton Keller2016 · #7 · at 2139%601691Regular+1.70
3Tyler Ennis2008 · #26 · at 2136%419700Regular+0.59
4Mikael Granlund2010 · #9 · at 2134%477966Regular+1.34
5Alexander Wennberg2013 · #14 · at 2133%551876Regular+1.01
6Josh Bailey2008 · #9 · at 2133%6391057Regular+0.47
7Robert Thomas2017 · #20 · at 2132%530537Regular+1.46
8Jordan Eberle2008 · #22 · at 2132%5071148Regular+2.07
9Anthony Beauvillier2015 · #28 · at 2132%550720Regular+0.66
10Sven Baertschi2011 · #13 · at 2131%291292Regular+0.97
Season by season
SeasonGPGAPtsPIM
2026-27NHL · Buffalo Sabres80556
2025-26NHL · Buffalo Sabres6513304342
2024-25NHL · Buffalo Sabres7510182860
2023-24NHL · Buffalo Sabres7111193036
2022-23WHL · Winnipeg Ice6036629849
2022-23Hlinka Gretzky Cup · Canada U1852572
2021-22WHL · Winnipeg Ice5825386328
2020-21WHL · Winnipeg Ice2410102012
2019-20CSSHL U16 · Yale Hockey Academy Elite 15s51120
2019-20CSSHL U15 · Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep3030568626
2018-19WSI U14 · Draftday Hockey Selects U1470330
2018-19CSSHL U15 · Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep286131912
2016-17WSI U12 · Pro Hockey Selects U1263586

The prospect score is a percentile of his expected outcome among every prospect in the league: the chance he becomes a regular, times how good his comparables who did became against others at their position. A player who never sticks counts as zero, which is why a long shot with a high ceiling can rank below a safe bet. All Sabres prospects · How the rankings work