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香蕉视频直播檛 exactly putting up numbers like 香蕉视频直播榯hat other香蕉视频直播� B.C. kid who香蕉视频直播檚 doing his thing with the Chicago Blackhawks.
After Tuesday香蕉视频直播檚 3-2 loss to the Canucks in Vancouver, Benson香蕉视频直播檚 season totals are a modest 9 goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 59 games. That香蕉视频直播檚 31 points behind North Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 Connor Bedard, who is the frontrunner for the Calder Trophy as the NHL香蕉视频直播檚 Rookie of the Year.
In fact, Benson is 14th in the overall rookie scoring race but there香蕉视频直播檚 one major caveat.
He香蕉视频直播檚 doing it as the NHL香蕉视频直播檚 second-youngest player at 18-years-of-age with only Bedard being younger.
香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 had an incredible season. He made our team because he香蕉视频直播檚 a very intelligent player 香蕉视频直播� 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,香蕉视频直播� said Sabres head coach Don Granato. 香蕉视频直播淭hose are all things you get sent back down for but he香蕉视频直播檚 been great in all of those areas and he香蕉视频直播檚 been consistent in all of them from day one in training camp.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播淚 think he香蕉视频直播檚 fit in very well. He香蕉视频直播檚 very well-respected amongst the guys. He understands he香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 gained a ton of respect. He has zero ego. He just goes out and works hard every day. He香蕉视频直播檚 been put in different situations but every time he goes out onto the ice he plays the same way. He香蕉视频直播檚 never been a liability at any point,香蕉视频直播� noted Ray.
While some touted Benson as a Top-10 pick in last year香蕉视频直播檚 NHL Entry Draft, he fell to the Sabres at the 13th spot. A highly skilled player with the WHL香蕉视频直播檚 Winnipeg Ice, Benson香蕉视频直播檚 lack of size scared some teams off.
At 5香蕉视频直播�10香蕉视频直播� and 170 pounds, what Benson lacks in size is made up for with intelligence.
香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 gotten to be advanced as he is because he香蕉视频直播檚 a self-learner and he香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 a talent on his own,香蕉视频直播� explained Granato.
As for Benson, he香蕉视频直播檚 just loving it all 香蕉视频直播� especially playing in front of friends and family in Vancouver for the first time.
Benson even admits he had that 香蕉视频直播榩inch me香蕉视频直播� moment prior to the game against the Canucks.
香蕉视频直播淗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 香蕉视频直播渨elcome to the NHL moment,香蕉视频直播� said Benson, who attended Canucks games growing up.
Playing at the NHL level means that when Benson now goes into a corner, it香蕉视频直播檚 with a grown man 香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檛 do at the NHL level. The good thing about Granato is that he香蕉视频直播檚 given Benson enough rope to see what he can and can香蕉视频直播檛 do without benching him or even scratching him from the lineup. Benson has reciprocated by learning form his mistakes.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 my first year. You香蕉视频直播檙e going to make mistakes and I香蕉视频直播檝e made mistakes. Donnie let香蕉视频直播檚 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,香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 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.
* 香蕉视频直播淚t was a good effort. Obviously, another good start 香蕉视频直播� I think are starts have been really good lately 香蕉视频直播� and I thought when they scored I liked our response. That香蕉视频直播檚 something we香蕉视频直播檝e been working on,香蕉视频直播� J.T. Miller stated afterwards.
* Vancouver goalie Casey DeSmith made 15 saves in the game while Buffalo香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 injury did cause Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet some anxiety. 香蕉视频直播淚 did think for a second 香蕉视频直播榟ere we go香蕉视频直播� but the trainer came back and said he香蕉视频直播檚 coming back. That was big. It香蕉视频直播檚 never fun when one of your best players takes a shot. You香蕉视频直播檙e thinking the worst,香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚, 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 香蕉视频直播渢he Moj香蕉视频直播� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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