Zach Benson: how good will he be this year?

[DarthEbriate]

When you combine the overall tenacity, defensive acumen, and most importantly the ability to get passes to shooters/finishers - Benson is the best LW on the roster.

Is he ready to be a LW1 and play the most minutes? No, that'd be Zucker (or TNT if they moved him to LW). But, that's on Adams/Pegula and roster construction, not on the coach/lineup construction.

If healthy and if either Norris/TNT remain healthy to be said finisher, then Benson will have a 50+ point season, minimum. More importantly, depending on the play of the center, Benson could have an unexpectedly good season.

[Broken Ankles]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't see how Benson will have only 18 assists this year. He'll have more because he won't be stuck with shooting impaired players. 

By shooting impaired players, you mean guys like Tage and Juri?  His even strength line combinations don’t fit this narrative.  Others include Quinn/Krebbs, Cozens/Quinn, Tage/Tuch and McLeod/Zucker.  The guys mentioned score points.  You don’t see Lafferty/Greenway/Beck until you get to 11 minutes of ice time.  The fact is his ATOI increased last year, but his production in Points per 60 decreased, as did his goals per 60 even though he wasn’t stapled to Greenway and was given ample opportunity to actually score goals.  His shooting percentage is anemic at 9% and I just haven’t seen enough for me to think he is anything other than a third line Defensive winger, until he isn’t.  Which is completely plausible as he’s only 20.

I voted #2 because options were limited, but I was closer to 2 than 1.  I find myself aligned with this statement from Thorny -“all 3 of my first liners are bonafide first liners, not 2 guys who are and 1 who may be because of them.” (You see Thorny, some people do read your $hit)

So let’s slow down on the coronation to first line winger, and see if his offensive game matures this year.  

https://frozenpool.dobbersports.com/frozenpool_linecombo.php?select=F&forward=BUF%3A7111%3AZACH%3ABENSON&games=2024-2025%3AR%3A99&period=ALL&situation=EV