The more people you talk to about Zach Benson, the more you realize the Chilliwack Minor Hockey product is going to be a bona fide NHL star.
Benson is in his rookie year with the Buffalo Sabres but he isn害羞草研究所檛 exactly putting up numbers like 害羞草研究所榯hat other害羞草研究所� B.C. kid who害羞草研究所檚 doing his thing with the Chicago Blackhawks.
After Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 3-2 loss to the Canucks in Vancouver, Benson害羞草研究所檚 season totals are a modest 9 goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 59 games. That害羞草研究所檚 31 points behind North Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Connor Bedard, who is the frontrunner for the Calder Trophy as the NHL害羞草研究所檚 Rookie of the Year.
In fact, Benson is 14th in the overall rookie scoring race but there害羞草研究所檚 one major caveat.
He害羞草研究所檚 doing it as the NHL害羞草研究所檚 second-youngest player at 18-years-of-age with only Bedard being younger.
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 had an incredible season. He made our team because he害羞草研究所檚 a very intelligent player 害羞草研究所� specifically without the puck. There are a lot of things that you would have to send a player back to junior or to the American Hockey League to learn (such as) playing without the puck, positioning without the puck, ability to compliment linemates, high compete and the ability to deal with the strength and size of opposing players despite only being 18-years-old,害羞草研究所� said Sabres head coach Don Granato. 害羞草研究所淭hose are all things you get sent back down for but he害羞草研究所檚 been great in all of those areas and he害羞草研究所檚 been consistent in all of them from day one in training camp.害羞草研究所�
That consistency is one of the things that long-time Sabre color analyst Rob Ray has noticed on a nightly basis. Ray has seen a lot of players come and go during his 25-plus years with the organization as a player and now broadcaster.
The former tough guy never pulled any punches as a player or as an analyst, so when Ray is praising an 18-year-old, you know Zach Benson is doing the right things.
害羞草研究所淚 think he害羞草研究所檚 fit in very well. He害羞草研究所檚 very well-respected amongst the guys. He understands he害羞草研究所檚 a rookie and he knows his place. A lot of guys come in and are cocky and demand more. This guy just does his thing and he害羞草研究所檚 gained a ton of respect. He has zero ego. He just goes out and works hard every day. He害羞草研究所檚 been put in different situations but every time he goes out onto the ice he plays the same way. He害羞草研究所檚 never been a liability at any point,害羞草研究所� noted Ray.
While some touted Benson as a Top-10 pick in last year害羞草研究所檚 NHL Entry Draft, he fell to the Sabres at the 13th spot. A highly skilled player with the WHL害羞草研究所檚 Winnipeg Ice, Benson害羞草研究所檚 lack of size scared some teams off.
At 5害羞草研究所�10害羞草研究所� and 170 pounds, what Benson lacks in size is made up for with intelligence.
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 gotten to be advanced as he is because he害羞草研究所檚 a self-learner and he害羞草研究所檚 a quick learner. You can present things to him between shifts and he can execute. He can adjust as fast as any guy on our team. That害羞草研究所檚 a talent on his own,害羞草研究所� explained Granato.
As for Benson, he害羞草研究所檚 just loving it all 害羞草研究所� especially playing in front of friends and family in Vancouver for the first time.
Benson even admits he had that 害羞草研究所榩inch me害羞草研究所� moment prior to the game against the Canucks.
害羞草研究所淗onestly, it was in warm-up. Looking around, it was pretty crazy. To be able to step on the ice for the first time there that was kind of another 害羞草研究所渨elcome to the NHL moment,害羞草研究所� said Benson, who attended Canucks games growing up.
Playing at the NHL level means that when Benson now goes into a corner, it害羞草研究所檚 with a grown man 害羞草研究所� not a 17-year-old kid as was the case in the WHL. Players are bigger, faster and stronger. The same decisions have to be made but with much less time and space.
It means trying to find out what he can and can害羞草研究所檛 do at the NHL level. The good thing about Granato is that he害羞草研究所檚 given Benson enough rope to see what he can and can害羞草研究所檛 do without benching him or even scratching him from the lineup. Benson has reciprocated by learning form his mistakes.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 my first year. You害羞草研究所檙e going to make mistakes and I害羞草研究所檝e made mistakes. Donnie let害羞草研究所檚 you know when you make a mistake, but he also is not going to park you on the bench the rest of the game because you made a little mistake,害羞草研究所� said Benson.
OVERTIME
* The Canucks opened the scoring on a first period goal by Conor Garland and took a 2-0 lead when Elias Pettersson scored in the second period. The Sabres cut the lead to 2-1 midway through the third period with Rasmus Dahlin害羞草研究所檚 marker but Pettersson scored his second of the game into an empty net with 1:51 remaining to give the Canucks a 3-1 lead. Dahlin made things interesting when he got his second of the game with 22 seconds left but Vancouver hung on for the win.
* 害羞草研究所淚t was a good effort. Obviously, another good start 害羞草研究所� I think are starts have been really good lately 害羞草研究所� and I thought when they scored I liked our response. That害羞草研究所檚 something we害羞草研究所檝e been working on,害羞草研究所� J.T. Miller stated afterwards.
* Vancouver goalie Casey DeSmith made 15 saves in the game while Buffalo害羞草研究所檚 Devon Levi made 31 stops.
* Miller took a shot off his foot in the first period and went to the dressing room for the remainder of the period before returning to start the second. Needless to say, Miller害羞草研究所檚 injury did cause Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet some anxiety. 害羞草研究所淚 did think for a second 害羞草研究所榟ere we go害羞草研究所� but the trainer came back and said he害羞草研究所檚 coming back. That was big. It害羞草研究所檚 never fun when one of your best players takes a shot. You害羞草研究所檙e thinking the worst,害羞草研究所� said Tocchet.
* Former longtime Canucks physician Dr. Ross Davidson paid a visit to the alumni suite on Tuesday night. Davidson, who was one of the founders of the UBC Sports Medicine Clinic in the 1980害羞草研究所檚, spends the bulk of his time in his New Zealand but still maintains a residence in Vancouver and visits on a regular basis.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 害羞草研究所渢he Moj害羞草研究所� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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