Benson posted an assist, three shots on goal and two blocked shots in Saturday's 3-2 shootout win over the Lightning.
Benson has earned only three helpers over his last 10 outings since a two-point effort in Detroit on March 12. The 19-year-old is still seeing even-strength minutes on the top line, but he's losing out on power-play time more often late in the season. He's up to 26 points, 106 shots on net, 28 blocked shots, 26 hits, 58 PIM and an even plus-minus rating through 68 contests this season.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: First point since return
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Benson logged an assist and three shots on goal in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Senators.
Benson ended a four-game point drought, which included one missed game due to an illness. Since returning, the winger has filled a top-line role at even strength, which raises expectations for his offense. He's had a decent season with 10 goals, 14 helpers, 96 shots on net, 54 PIM and an even plus-minus rating over 63 outings, but he hasn't shown much growth from his 30-point rookie campaign a year ago. He's still just 19 years old and skipped the AHL, so there's plenty of learning for him to do on the job at the NHL level.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Good to go Saturday
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Benson (illness) will play Saturday against Minnesota, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports.
Benson will be back in the lineup after he was sidelined in Buffalo's last game Thursday. The 19-year-old winger has 10 goals and 23 points in 60 games this season.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Not playing Thursday
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Benson (illness) won't play Thursday versus Utah, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports.
Benson has earned four points over his last six games while filling a middle-six role. His absence will likely allow Sam Lafferty to get into the lineup, though Jack Quinn figures to get more ice time. Benson's next chance to play is Saturday at Minnesota.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Game-time call Thursday
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Benson is expected to be a game-time decision Thursday versus Utah because of an illness, per Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News.
Coach Lindy Ruff said Benson will probably miss the game, so don't be surprised if he's ultimately scratched. If Benson doesn't play, then Sam Lafferty will likely remain in the lineup. Lafferty is otherwise projected to be a healthy scratch to accommodate the return of JJ Peterka (lower body). The 19-year-old Benson has 10 goals, 23 points and 54 PIM in 60 appearances in 2024-25.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Two points in Detroit
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Benson produced a power-play goal and an even-strength assist in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the Red Wings.
After helping to set up a Josh Norris tally in the final minute of the first period, Benson potted his own goal late in the second. The 19-year-old winger has two multi-point performances in the last four games, but those are his only points since Feb. 25. Benson is getting a look on the Sabres' top line with Norris and Tage Thompson while also seeing second-unit power-play time, but he remains a risky fantasy option despite his talent and upside.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: One step forward, one step back
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Benson put up two assists in a 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.
The slender winger hasn't take a step forward this season, but he hasn't exactly taken a step backward, either. Benson has 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) and 82 shots over 55 games after putting up 11 goals, 19 assists and 98 shots across 71 games in 2023-24. While he has 126 NHL games on his resume, he's still just 19 years of age, so some growing pains are natural. Benson will be fine, as long as the Sabres continue to allow his game to appropriately marinate.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Collects pair of points
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Benson scored a goal on two shots and added a power-play assist in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Penguins.
Benson earned his first multi-point effort since Nov. 29 versus the Canucks. The 19-year-old set up Owen Power's goal in the first period before scoring one of his own in the third. Benson has four goals and an assist over his last 11 outings while seeing steady middle-six minutes. Overall, the winger has 16 points (two on the power play), 58 shots on net, 32 PIM and a minus-1 rating through 39 appearances.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Nets goal vs. Colorado
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Benson scored a goal in Thursday's 6-5 overtime loss to the Avalanche.
Benson found the twine for the third time over his last five games, and the 19-year-old prospect continues to show glimpses of what he can accomplish despite multiple extended goal droughts this season. If he can remove the streakiness from his game, he could take his game to the next level. Benson has notched seven points (four goals, three assists) in 15 games since the beginning of December.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Finds twine in win
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Benson scored a goal on two shots in Monday's 7-1 win over the Islanders.
Benson briefly took a turn on the top line earlier in the month, but he's since returned to middle-six duties. The 19-year-old has two goals and five helpers over his last 11 outings. For the season, Benson is up to five goals, 11 points, 41 shots on net, 30 PIM and a minus-6 rating across 29 contests. He's young enough to have some upside in deep redraft formats, but his highest fantasy value comes in dynasty.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Buries goal Monday
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Benson scored a goal on two shots and added two PIM in Monday's 6-5 shootout loss to the Red Wings.
Benson ended a 10-game goal drought with the tally. He had been warming up with four assists over his previous five contests, and he's now logged multiple shots on net in five of his last six games. The 19-year-old winger is up to four goals, five assists, 31 shots on net, 26 PIM and a minus-1 rating through 22 outings this season. Benson is seeing steady usage in the middle six.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Two apples in loss
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Benson posted two assists in Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Canucks.
Benson earned a helper on Bowen Byram's first-period marker before adding an assist on Alex Tuch's game-tying goal in the final frame. The 19-year-old Benson didn't have a point in five games, dating back to Nov. 14, before earning his second multi-point effort of 2024-25. The left-shot forward will need more time and experience before being counted on to produce consistent offense. Benson has logged three goals, three assists and a plus-1 rating through 17 contests.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Nets marker in win
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Benson scored his third goal of the season Thursday in a 4-3 overtime win over St. Louis.
Benson tied the game at 1-1 in the first period, and he added four shots, one hit and a plus-2 rating in 17:21 of ice time. After being held off the scoresheet in his first seven outings while contending with a lower-body injury earlier in the season, Benson has produced three goals and an assist across a four-game span. The 19-year-old is currently occupying a top-line role and spot on the No. 2 power-play unit.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Pots goal Saturday
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Benson scored a goal in Saturday's 3-2 shootout win over Calgary.
Benson opened the scoring at the 1:11 mark of the first period to earn his third point and second goal in the last two games. He didn't have a point in seven appearances to begin the 2024-25 season, but the 19-year-old forward is starting to heat up offensively.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Shifts to IR
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Benson (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Monday, per the NHL media site.
Benson last played against Chicago on Oct. 19 and hasn't been skating. He can be activated when he's ready to return, but he will probably be out for a while longer. Benson has been held off the scoresheet in six games while contributing eight shots on goal and four blocked shots this season.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Not playing Saturday
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Benson (lower body) will not play versus Detroit on Saturday, according to Heather Engel of NHL.com.
Benson will sit out his second straight game as he has a lingering lower-body injury that has bothered him since the start of the season. The 19-year-old has been held without a point through six games this season. Consider Benson day-to-day at this time.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Set to play Thursday
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Benson (lower body) is expected to be in the lineup versus the Kings on Thursday, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports.
Benson was officially a game-time decision, but he took line rushes alongside Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch on the first line. The 19-year-old Benson will have a big opportunity in that spot Thursday, though it's likely a temporary gig while the Sabres await the return of John-Jason Peterka (concussion).
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Might play Thursday
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Benson took part in Wednesday's practice and might be available for Thursday's game against LA, according to Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News.
The Sabres are going to wait to see how Benson responds to the skate before making a determination, so he might end up being a game-time decision. If the 19-year-old is in the lineup, it will likely be as a member of the second line alongside Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn. Jiri Kulich, who logged 14:00 of ice time Saturday, might be a healthy scratch if Benson is available.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Out Saturday
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Benson missed Saturday's game against the Devils in Prague with a lower-body injury, according to Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News.
Benson played through the injury Friday when he managed 17:23 of ice time, including 4:32 on the power play. However, he didn't dress in the second half of Buffalo's back-to-back. The Sabres will face the Kings at home on Thursday. Consider the 19-year-old, who had 11 goals and 30 points in 71 regular-season games last season, day-to-day.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Supplies assist in low-scoring game
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Benson added an assist in Friday's 2-1 win over the Blue Jackets.
Benson is showing flashes of his potential as the 13th overall pick from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 5-foot-9 prospect has six goals and 11 assists through 46 games and 14:50 of average ice time, but expectations should be tempered as he's just 18 years old and trying to prove he belongs after making the grand leap from the WHL directly to hockey's highest level of competition.
