Sabres' Zach Benson: Earns helper with move to top line
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Benson notched an assist in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Maple Leafs.
The Sabres are in a brutal skid, so lines may shuffle frequently until they get on track. In Sunday's game, Benson was promoted to play alongside Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, setting up the latter's goal at 2:46 of the first period. The 19-year-old Benson has four points over seven contests in December, giving him a total of 10 points, 34 shots on net and 28 PIM through 25 outings this season. He's talented, but he's often been limited to the middle six, so fantasy managers may want to wait and see if his top-line turn lasts more than a handful of games.
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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: Nabs helper Thursday
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Benson posted an assist in Thursday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Jets.
Benson has picked up four helpers over his last four contests. He's looked good on the second line alongside Dylan Cozens, who had the goal Benson assisted on in this game. The 19-year-old Benson is up to eight points, 27 shots on net, 10 hits, 24 PIM and a plus-1 rating through 20 appearances. He's still finding his way at the NHL level, though he's been able to maintain a middle-six role when healthy.
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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: Considered game-time decision
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Benson (lower body) is considered a game-time decision for Thursday's matchup against the Kings.
Head coach Lindy Ruff said after Thursday's morning skate that the Sabres will warm up an extra player ahead of the game against the Kings, but he expects Benson to be available for the home opener. Over 71 appearances with Buffalo last year, he recorded 11 goals and 30 points while averaging 14:31 of ice time.
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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.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Scores Monday
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Benson scored a goal on three shots in Monday's 4-3 loss to the Ducks.
Benson tied the game 3-3 in the second period, deflecting a Henri Jokiharju shot past John Gibson. The goal is just Benson's second in his last 23 games and his second point in 17 contests. It's been a struggle offensively for the rookie after a fast start to his NHL career, as he's dropped into a bottom-six role. The 18-year-old Benson now has six goals and 16 points through 44 games this season.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Two points in defeat
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Benson tallied a goal and an assist in Thursday's 6-4 loss to St. Louis.
Benson cut the Sabres' deficit to 3-2 in the second period with a quick wrist shot off a faceoff before adding a secondary assist on John-Jason Peterka's tally in the third. It's the second goal of the season for the 18-year-old Benson -- he has five points (two goals, three assists) in seven games since returning from a seven-game absence due to a lower-body injury. Overall, he's up to two goals and seven points across 13 games in his rookie campaign.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Nabs helper in return
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Benson logged an assist, two hits and two PIM in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Jets.
Benson saw 14:43 of ice time in a second-line role in his return from a lower-body injury that cost him seven contests. The helper was his first point since a two-assist game Oct. 14 versus the Islanders. The 18-year-old has three helpers, seven shots on net, eight PIM and a minus-1 rating through seven outings. Benson has two more games to make a strong impression before the Sabres have to decide if he's going back to WHL Wenatchee or staying in the NHL with the first year of his entry-level contract active.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Placed on injured reserve
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The Sabres put Benson (lower body) on injured reserve Friday, Sabres insider Joe Yerdon reports.
Benson is week-to-week at this time. The 18-year-old, who was selected 13th overall in the 2023 Draft, has picked up two assists in six games with the Sabres this season. Don't be surprised if Buffalo sends Benson to the WHL when he is ready to return.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Considered week-to-week
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Benson is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
With Zach Benson facing an extended absence, the recently recalled Brandon Biro could get an opportunity to fill a top-six role for the foreseeable future. Benson, who's picked up two helpers through six contests this season, could land on injured reserve in the coming days.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Unavailable Saturday
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Benson (lower body) won't play Saturday against the Islanders, Jourdon LaBarber of the Sabres' official site reports.
Benson is still dealing with some soreness, so he will be held out of the lineup as a precaution. The 18-year-old forward has two assists and four shots on goal in four games this season.
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Sabres' Zach Benson: Gets first two NHL points
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Benson registered two assists in Buffalo's 3-2 loss to the Islanders on Saturday.
It was Benson's first two points in his second career game. He logged 15:16 of ice time Saturday after getting 14:27 in his NHL debut Thursday. Benson, who was taken with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, scored 36 goals and 98 points in 60 WHL outings with Winnipeg in 2022-23.
