The Buffalo Sabres are hoping this is the season that ends their franchise record postseason drought. They changed their roster up once again with the hopes of rising in the best division in hockey, the Atlantic Division. With five playoff teams last year, the Sabres won’t have it easy again, including Detroit and Boston retooling and also trying to get back into the playoffs.
With that being said, the Sabres need to find someone who can help push them over the top, whether they are already on the team or someone they can bring in via trade. We already discussed a trade for Yegor Chinakhov, but what about Sabres winger Zach Benson?
Entering year three in the NHL, Zach Benson is reaching an impactful year with the Sabres. The 2023 first-round pick has been a solid player, but has yet to meet his true potential with Buffalo. He posted 30 points as a rookie, but then scored fewer points (28) with a better offense last year.
The Sabres still have a strong belief in Benson, as he still has untapped potential. Benson’s two-way game is a physical presence when he’s on the ice. A combination of speed and puck awareness, but the one thing that hasn’t emerged is the finishing touch he displayed in junior hockey.
While playing for the Winnipeg Ice of the WHL, Benson had a 25 and a 36-goal season, which made him a top pick in the draft that year. However, he made a massive jump right away to the NHL and has scored just 10 goals per season.
With 146 games of NHL experience already, the 2025-2026 campaign is setting up to be the breakout one for Benson. I expect Benson to hit 20 goals this season and eclipse 50 points as a top-six forward for the Sabres. Putting him on a line with Tage Thompson and Jiri Kulich could have Benson turning heads shortly.