Sabres Take Zach Benson With 13th Overall Pick.

The 2023 NHL Draft took place in Nashville, TN, Tuesday night. In the midst of a period of re-righting the ship, the Buffalo Sabres used their only pick in the first round to draft forward Zach Benson of the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice. Benson is a 5’10” 159 pound offensive threat who can slot in on the wing or in the middle. A native of Chilliwack, B.C., the 18-year-old skater played in 60 games last season for the Winnipeg Ice, putting up 36 goals and 62 assists in a 98-point season.

Touted as one of the most offensively talented players available in this year’s draft, Benson plays with style that is larger than he is. Around the league, comparisons have been between Benson’s game and players such as Jonathan Marchessault, Johnny Gaudreau, and Brayden Point. Playing alongside fellow Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie, Benson led the Winnipeg Ice in scoring and finished third place in scoring in the WHL. Benson brings a skillset that includes slick puckhandling and an excellent hockey IQ to the line-up, making him a player who has the capability to read plays and find opportunities. In addition to his offensive prowess, he also possesses a sound defensive play style by staying active in the defensive end and finding ways to move the puck out of the zone. His work ethic and compete level come highly praised and should be a welcome fit in Buffalo. Overall, Benson is an excellent pick with the up-side of being a high-end top-six forward.


Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Andrew Willis

Andrew Willis is a freelance hockey reporter covering the ECHL's Jacksonville Icemen for Inside The Rink and the Vancouver Canucks for The Canuck Way. His work has been featured on Hockey of Tomorrow and The Daily Faceoff, and can be found on Twitter/X @FromTheDrewLine.

Leave a Reply

Alexander Romanov Signs Eight-Year Extension with Islanders

The New York Islanders and defenseman Alexander Romanov have agreed to terms on an eight-year contract carrying an average annual value (AAV) of $6.25 million per season. The contract includes a full no movement clause for years two to five and a 16-team no trade clause in years five through eight. After the Islanders traded […]

Read More

Winnipeg Jets 2025 Qualifying Offers List

The Winnipeg Jets have extended qualifying offers to eight players today. The Jets chose not to extend qualifying offers to two players. The two players not tendered qualifying offers were defenseman Simon Lundmark and forward Mason Shaw. The Jets’ PR account on X made a post saying the team qualified all seven except Lundmark and […]

Read More

Oilers Re-Sign Evan Bouchard to Four-Year Deal

Evan Bouchard will not be a potential offer sheet target ahead of tomorrow’s free agency window opening. Bouchard and the Edmonton Oilers agreed to terms on a four-year contract, carrying an average annual value (AAV) of $10.5 million per season. At the time of writing, it is not determined if Bouchard has any trade or […]

Read More