Sabres choose Zach Benson 13th overall
The Buffalo Sabres selected Zach Benson with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Zach Benson
Position: Left wing
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 170 lbs
Shoots: Left
Age: 18
Club: Winnipeg Ice (WHL)
Nationality: 🇨🇦
NHL Central Scouting final ranking: 6th among North American skaters
2022-23 stats
| GP | G | A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winnipeg | 60 | 36 | 62 |
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | 5 | 2 | 5 |
Benson rose one spot on Central Scouting's final rankings. The British Columbia-born forward has been on scouts' radars since he notched 10 goals and 10 assists in 24 games for the Ice as a 15-year-old in 2021.
Last season, he led a stacked team with 23 points in 15 playoff games. An injury kept him out of the first round in 2022-23, but he excelled under postseason pressure again when healthy with 17 points in 15 contests.
Benson proved himself on the international stage as well. He tied for second in assists and third in points among all skaters at this year's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, helping Canada claim gold. Benson plays in all situations and consistently stands out, even when surrounded by talented teammates.
What they're saying
"Benson has a ton of creativity and offense in his game," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman in May. "He makes high-end skill plays routinely, he's one of the better passers in junior and projects to be a major asset on an NHL power play. Benson lacks ideal size at 5-foot-9, but he's relentless in puck battles, often coming out with the puck despite his frame."
"The size is often first mentioned, or maybe the points," wrote FloHockey's Chris Peters in June. "What always stands out to me about Benson's overall game is his incredible tenacity off the puck. He challenges opposing players with aggressive stick checks and body position. What makes that skill even more effective is how quickly he can force turnovers and immediately make a dangerous play off a pass or shot. His awareness is high end, and he anticipates as well as any player in this draft."
"He'll make plays to the inside from the perimeter on one shift, and then go right to the guts of the ice to make something happen in a congested area the next," The Athletic's Scott Wheeler wrote in May. "When you package all of that skill with a dogged work ethic that keeps him around pucks all the time, you've got a tremendous player. If he were a little bigger, he'd be a scout's dream. I think he's going to be a top-of-the-lineup player regardless."
Click here to watch Benson's highlights.