Let's talk Zach Benson....

[Thorny]

Best passer among the forwards on the roster. One of the most appealing for this reason 

[LTS]

Tired narratives:

The Sabres will ruin his development and he'll amount to nothing.  Benson will still be fine. Just like every other prospect that was supposedly ruined but then went on elsewhere to do wonderful things that are also lamented about on here.  If he's bad while with the Sabres it's not a Benson issue, it's a Sabres issue.

Michael Peca, Michael Peca, Michael Peca - unless I am mistaken, Mr. Peca joined the Rangers for this past season. The one that saw them go from President's Trophy winner to out of they play-offs.  Perhaps some scrutiny is deserved on the value of Peca? After all, we put a lot of blame here on the assistant coaches that did NOT change and resulted in the SAME results for defense and power play especially.  Let's not get caught in nostalgia.  I don't know if Peca has value as a coach. I do know that he was part of a coaching staff that did not improve the Rangers.

Zach Benson started this season as the 4th youngest player in the NHL.  His second season, 4th youngest, still.

Zach Benson will be fine.. and as the analytics demonstrate probably better than fine.  His biggest weakness is his age and as a result "size", and I only mean size in the sense of his strength which is already really good.  He'll tack on more pounds and will become even more of a PITA to play against.  At his age he demonstrates an incredible instinct in game play. I can't wait for what he does when he is experienced.

Edited April 21 by LTS
Scratched Peca - because I can't read a date properly

[Pimlach]

57 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

10-18-28...  same stat line as Krebs.   

He slots as a 4th liner on a playoff team.   

Which is fine, you need those guys who bring something besides scoring.     If he breaks out offensively maybe 3rd line?  But that remains to be seen.

[Doohickie]

1 hour ago, JP51 said:

I will say this, Benson has more attitude than Skinner ever had and this bodes well... 

Different but similar effect:  Both guys are best when they get opponents off their game.  Remember all the penalties Skinner drew?  That's what I'm talking about.  He was more psy-ops though; Benson is more physical distraction, and Benson's game is more consistent.  If he can get to the point where he's chipping in 20-25 goals but his linemates are scoring 30-40, he'll be a great first liner.

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, LTS said:

Tired narratives:

The Sabres will ruin his development and he'll amount to nothing.  Benson will still be fine. Just like every other prospect that was supposedly ruined but then went on elsewhere to do wonderful things that are also lamented about on here.  If he's bad while with the Sabres it's not a Benson issue, it's a Sabres issue.

Michael Peca, Michael Peca, Michael Peca - unless I am mistaken, Mr. Peca joined the Rangers for this past season. The one that saw them go from President's Trophy winner to out of they play-offs.  Perhaps some scrutiny is deserved on the value of Peca? After all, we put a lot of blame here on the assistant coaches that did NOT change and resulted in the SAME results for defense and power play especially.  Let's not get caught in nostalgia.  I don't know if Peca has value as a coach. I do know that he was part of a coaching staff that did not improve the Rangers.

Zach Benson started this season as the 4th youngest player in the NHL.  His second season, 4th youngest, still.

Zach Benson will be fine.. and as the analytics demonstrate probably better than fine.  His biggest weakness is his age and as a result "size", and I only mean size in the sense of his strength which is already really good.  He'll tack on more pounds and will become even more of a PITA to play against.  At his age he demonstrates an incredible instinct in game play. I can't wait for what he does when he is experienced.

He was.  Personally, will run with the Housley effect takes longer to take hold but ultimately overtakes the positive effects of others around him.  😉 

[Pimlach]

11 minutes ago, LTS said:

Tired narratives:

The Sabres will ruin his development and he'll amount to nothing.  Benson will still be fine. Just like every other prospect that was supposedly ruined but then went on elsewhere to do wonderful things that are also lamented about on here.  If he's bad while with the Sabres it's not a Benson issue, it's a Sabres issue.

Michael Peca, Michael Peca, Michael Peca - unless I am mistaken, Mr. Peca joined the Rangers for this past season. The one that saw them go from President's Trophy winner to out of they play-offs.  Perhaps some scrutiny is deserved on the value of Peca? After all, we put a lot of blame here on the assistant coaches that did NOT change and resulted in the SAME results for defense and power play especially.  Let's not get caught in nostalgia.  I don't know if Peca has value as a coach. I do know that he was part of a coaching staff that did not improve the Rangers.

Zach Benson started this season as the 4th youngest player in the NHL.  His second season, 4th youngest, still.

Zach Benson will be fine.. and as the analytics demonstrate probably better than fine.  His biggest weakness is his age and as a result "size", and I only mean size in the sense of his strength which is already really good.  He'll tack on more pounds and will become even more of a PITA to play against.  At his age he demonstrates an incredible instinct in game play. I can't wait for what he does when he is experienced.

True, you don't know.  But google is your friend.

Peca joined the Rangers in 2023.  He was part of the Pres Trophy team and part of the losing team they had this year.  There are lots of reasons for the Rangers collapsed.    

Peca as an assistant coach for the Rangers has no correlation to how Benson is progressing as a 19 year old NHL player.  Why bring this up?  

Edited April 21 by Pimlach

[DarthEbriate]

10 minutes ago, LTS said:

Michael Peca, Michael Peca, Michael Peca - unless I am mistaken, Mr. Peca joined the Rangers for this past season. The one that saw them go from President's Trophy winner to out of they play-offs.  Perhaps some scrutiny is deserved on the value of Peca? After all, we put a lot of blame here on the assistant coaches that did NOT change and resulted in the SAME results for defense and power play especially.  Let's not get caught in nostalgia.  I don't know if Peca has value as a coach. I do know that he was part of a coaching staff that did not improve the Rangers.

He was with the Rangers in their President's Trophy run last season as well. He just didn't help them in their standings free fall this season.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

I love Benson. He has some serious upside! He is not a top line guy though. He needs to be on the third line with other agitators and speed. That is his wheelhouse. As some gritty speed with him and turn them loose! 

[LTS]

18 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

True, you don't know.  But google is your friend.

Peca joined the Rangers in 2023.  He was part of the Pres Trophy team and part of the losing team they had this year.  There are lots of reasons for the Rangers collapsed.    

Peca as an assistant coach for the Rangers has no correlation to how Benson is progressing as a 19 year old NHL player.  Why bring this up?  

Yeah.. I actually did look, but read it wrong and that's that!  Edited and owned my mistake.

I brought it up because it was mentioned someone wanted to see Peca put some time in with Benson.  I didn't quote that.

Bottom line, kind of failing on that post.. other than what I left intact. 🙂

[Archie Lee]

- I think there are very few teams in the NHL, including playoff teams, that have a collection of players perfectly slotted into 1st line, 2nd line, 1st pair D, 2nd pair D, etc. roles. 

- I think Benson and Kulich could well thrive playing top-6-roles as soon as next year

- I think putting Benson and Kulich together on top-6 line next-year would be clear evidence that our GM/HC combo are unable to learn and adapt

 

 

 

   

 

[Pimlach]

18 minutes ago, LTS said:

Yeah.. I actually did look, but read it wrong and that's that!  Edited and owned my mistake.

I brought it up because it was mentioned someone wanted to see Peca put some time in with Benson.  I didn't quote that.

Bottom line, kind of failing on that post.. other than what I left intact. 🙂

Drury fired Laviolette and Housley on Saturday.  No word on Peca. 

I won't be surprised is Ruff is interested and adding Peca to his staff, assuming Ruff is around next year. 

Mike Weber is an Assistant coach in St Louis.   He seems to be doing well but we shall see if Montgomery retains him.  

[Doohickie]

48 minutes ago, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

I love Benson. He has some serious upside! He is not a top line guy though. He needs to be on the third line with other agitators and speed. That is his wheelhouse. As some gritty speed with him and turn them loose! 

I like the idea of lines 1A, 1B, 1C (or possibly 2A, 2B, 2C depending on how you look at it).

At the end of the season we had

Benson - Kulich - Tage
JJP - McLeod - Quinn
Zucker - Krebs - Tuch

I think all those lines could be a top scoring line... though whichever one Tage is on is probably going to be the top, top scoring line.  My point is that rather than having one line that is clearly the best, balance the skill mix (and to a lesser extent the skill level) to get three lines that an opponent can't contain (maybe one, maybe even two, but not all three).

To that end, Benson is the forechecker, the pot stirrer, the physical pest on that line.  Out of the other two, I think I'd swap McLeod and Krebs so that on the JJP line, Krebs is that pot stirrer, and then on the other line, Tuch is (although he's more of just a big physical presence than a pot stirrer type).

If a coach wanted to balance the top three lines, then yeah, Benson is a top line guy with a specialized role in that line.  It matters not if he doesn't score a ton, as long as he's disrupting the opposition defense and enabling the his linemates to score.

[LGR4GM]

I think that Zach Benson has more to give. 

[mjd1001]

He looks like he plays hard.  His metrics/analytics are mostly really good.  Just needs to be a lot more actual production to back up that potential.  He's played 2 seasons now, and is shooting under 10%, a sniper he isn't.  Does he have to be? No, but if he is going to be an eventual fixture on the top 6, I want/need him taking closer to 200 shots per year instead of 100, and he has to convert on at least a BIT over 10% of them.

In terms of scoring chances, the numbers are 'kinda close', but with Tage on the ice vs not on the ice with Benson:  Tage's number of scoring chances per minute are higher without Benson than they are with him.  Their OVERALL numbers (including defensive metrics) are better with Benson, but he still needs to develop a bit more of his offensive game to get more ice time to me.

He is still very young so those issues above can easily change.  But until they do, he's more of a 13-14.5 minutes per game guy (which is 3rd line minutes) than anything more than that.

 

Edited April 21 by mjd1001

[HumanSlinky39]

Future top-6 winger. I think he could develop into a steady 25-30 goal, 60 point guy. He's played 2 full seasons, so a lot of us forget he's only 19. Plus, he plays as hard, or harder that, anyone on the roster. His future is bright.

[Who Else?]

Kind of view him as the Anti-Cozens.  Seemed as though to coaching staff found any way to reduce his ice-time.  Just total misuse.

5 on 5 - one of the only players that can cover open ice. Offensively he creates open ice for other players, so they dumped him on the fourth line.  

PP - Park him in front of the net instead of leaning into his skill and placing him behind the goal line to retrieve and delivers passes

PK - One of the best on the team but only goes out on non-face-off changes. 

OT - No ice time. Krebs gets 2 shifts in a 5-minute OT. Think I saw Malenstyn out there more

[shrader]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Drury fired Laviolette and Housley on Saturday.  No word on Peca. 

I won't be surprised is Ruff is interested and adding Peca to his staff, assuming Ruff is around next year. 

Mike Weber is an Assistant coach in St Louis.   He seems to be doing well but we shall see if Montgomery retains him.  

I’ve mentioned Peca a few times and it has nothing to do with whether or not he’s a good addition. To me, it just feels like a vey sabre thing to do. 

[PerreaultForever]

I know I'm the only one who wants this, but I want him in Rochester next year. 

Yes, you can argue that he's already shown he's above that, but down there I'd have him as top guy in all the big situations and he would come back the next year stronger as a total top level team leader. 

[No Goal]

 

39 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I know I'm the only one who wants this, but I want him in Rochester next year. 

Yes, you can argue that he's already shown he's above that, but down there I'd have him as top guy in all the big situations and he would come back the next year stronger as a total top level team leader. 

Spot on

[SABRES 0311]

I think 15g and 25a is a reasonable expectation next year.

[mjd1001]

I can't vote, none of the choices are close to how I think.

To me, it would be something like "he is a solid 3rd liner now that can fill in temporarily on a higher line, but needs to show more offensive 'finish' to make that permanent leap."

[oddoublee]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I know I'm the only one who wants this, but I want him in Rochester next year. 

Yes, you can argue that he's already shown he's above that, but down there I'd have him as top guy in all the big situations and he would come back the next year stronger as a total top level team leader. 

Do the rules allow for it? If so, depending on his off-season and training camp, I don't hate the idea.

[steveoath]

4 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Drury fired Laviolette and Housley on Saturday.  No word on Peca. 

Peca’s being asked (along with another assistant coach) to interview to be kept on in his current role. According to Frank Seravelli 

[dudacek]

3 minutes ago, oddoublee said:

Do the rules allow for it? If so, depending on his off-season and training camp, I don't hate the idea.

Yes, he is no longer junior eligible and not yet waiver eligible.

Personally, unless he has an utterly out-of-character camp, I think this would make the Sabres weaker and send a terrible message to Benson and to the Sabres that do make the roster.

[DarthEbriate]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I know I'm the only one who wants this, but I want him in Rochester next year. 

Yes, you can argue that he's already shown he's above that, but down there I'd have him as top guy in all the big situations and he would come back the next year stronger as a total top level team leader. 

So you want Benson to demand a trade before he's even completed his rookie ELC?

He's the best defensive forward on the team, he's the only agitator, he has top-10 talent playmaking ability (rated 2nd to Bedard in his class). His shot will get stronger just like Reinhart's did, Dahlin's did, and Krebs' has. Moving him only frees up $900k and creates a $5M+ hole in the lineup on a team that is (currently) unwilling to spend close to the cap.