WHL Stars & NHL Debuts: Benson takes to the ice in Buffalo
With family in the stands, Wenatchee Wild forward Zach Benson made his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres Thursday night.
Benson, an 18-year-old product of Chilliwack, B.C., registered two shots on goal over 14:27 worth of time on ice as the Sabres fell to the New York Rangers by a 5-1 margin.
Selected by the Sabres in the first round (13th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft, Benson made an impact during the preseason, earning himself an opportunity in the regular season.
The 5-foot-10, 163-pound forward lit up the WHL last season, finishing third in scoring with 98 points (36G-62A) in 60 games. Originally selected by the Winnipeg ICE In the first round (14th overall) of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, Benson has tallied 181 points (71G-110A) in 142 career WHL Regular Season contests.
He helped the ICE advance to the 2023 WHL Championship Series, notching 17 points (7G-10A) in 15 WHL Playoff games. In 30 career WHL post-season appearances, the shifty forward has collected 40 points (16G-24A).
Benson was named to the WHL’s East Division First All-Star Team in 2022-23 and he helped Canada earn gold at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
NHL debut night for @Zachbenson2020 ⚔️#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/Fv67YFHYMW
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) October 12, 2023