(Athletic) Inside the Sabres’ scouting of Zach Benson: Analytics, offensive upside and more

[#freejame]

(Free article) https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7452809/2026/08/03/buffalo-sabres-zach-benson-stats-analytics/?unlocked_article_code=1.2lA.lNMU.DsrwgD_Dgc9v&source=user_shared_article&smid=ta-ios-share

 

Not of ton of new stuff in here but figured I would post it if anyone wanted to read it. 
 

Forton:

“There’s definitely more in there. That I know for sure. The power play will factor into that at some point, a higher uptick there. I would expect every part of his game offensively to have an uptick over the next one to three years. If you say every single area goes up a little and combine that together, there’s a lot of untapped offensive potential there. Where it ends up will be interesting. It’s all the intangibles he brings, too.”

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

(Free article) https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7452809/2026/08/03/buffalo-sabres-zach-benson-stats-analytics/?unlocked_article_code=1.2lA.lNMU.DsrwgD_Dgc9v&source=user_shared_article&smid=ta-ios-share

 

Not of ton of new stuff in here but figured I would post it if anyone wanted to read it. 
 

Forton:

“There’s definitely more in there. That I know for sure. The power play will factor into that at some point, a higher uptick there. I would expect every part of his game offensively to have an uptick over the next one to three years. If you say every single area goes up a little and combine that together, there’s a lot of untapped offensive potential there. Where it ends up will be interesting. It’s all the intangibles he brings, too.”

Forton should have used the same logic when drafting Mrtka over a bunch of other dudes. 

[Doohickie]

 

[#freejame]

34 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

 

This is my kind of compilation. 

[LTS]

The PP factors in at some point?  I have to think he's going to be net front. I can only imagine how much fun he'd have there on an entire power play.

[Doohickie]

13 minutes ago, LTS said:

The PP factors in at some point?  I have to think he's going to be net front. I can only imagine how much fun he'd have there on an entire power play.

I think Kulich gets the net front.  Half his 2024-25 goals were tip-ins or rebounds in front, and the rest were almost all from the faceoff circles give for take.  It's where he thrives and I think he will be the reason the power play improves.  Maybe he and Benson share the bumper spot- one on either side of the goal.

Edited August 4 by Doohickie

[LTS]

23 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I think Kulich gets the net front.  Half his 2024-25 goals were tip-ins or rebounds in front, and the rest were almost all from the faceoff circles give for take.  It's where he thrives and I think he will be the reason the power play improves.  Maybe he and Benson share the bumper spot- one on either side of the goal.

It's possible. Kulich has a better shot than Benson. Nothing against Kulich but I'm not sure there's anyone on the team who could play the net front game better than Benny.  He invites more physical contact than anyone else. He thrives on it.

I think you put him in front of the net and other teams are going to get annoyed, really fast. Perhaps he'll draw some goalie penalties.