Zach Benson is a playmaker unlike any other

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Күн бұрын

Elite Prospects Dir. of North American scouting Mitchell Brown takes you into the Film Room™️ to look at Zach Benson's game, a playmaker unlike any other in the 2023 NHL Draft or even in many previous drafts. He dictates the game with top-of-class puck protection skills, deception, pace, and stick work.
Read more about Zach Benson on EP Rinkside: eprinkside.com/2023/06/10/fil...
You can get the Elite Prospects Draft Guide with an EP Premium subscription. The guide features prospect breakdowns, tracked data, game reports, and quotes from NHL executives and scouts: www.eliteprospects.com/2023dr...

Пікірлер: 200

@johnowens2108 10 ай бұрын

Absolute steal at 13 let’s go Sabres!!

@Lilbailnick 10 ай бұрын

IKR!!

@axe2grind244 10 ай бұрын

WOOOOOOOOO!

@BillsMafiaTable 10 ай бұрын

Go Sabres!

@KR_Flixs 10 ай бұрын

I know I can’t wait to watch him

@ccink3931 10 ай бұрын

Was literally the best situation for us outside of a miracle of winning the draft lotto 😂

@tylergervais3207 11 ай бұрын

This kid is criminally underrated

@interchange2600 10 ай бұрын

he's as good or better than Bedard on 5vs5 and 4vs5

@66Bunn 10 ай бұрын

I truly hope you are correct. I'm having fantasies that he drops to #14 to my Penguins

@Ween1776 10 ай бұрын

@@66Bunnalmost got him. Go Sabs

@davidyoung5114 10 ай бұрын

He played with Matt Savoie over the past two years, and with Peyton Krebs in his first season with the Winnipeg Ice. What a line those three would make in a few years time!!

@duck075 7 ай бұрын

I think i saw this video after the Sabres drafted Benson, and I was impressed. I have now had the ability to watch his game during the Sabres preseason. I can't believe how I'm watching a 170 ish kid play against NHL caliber talent and how easy he makes it look. This is a great video, spot on analysis, and holy crap with the new context of seeing how comfortable he is at the NHL level. The Sabres stole this pick at 13.

@bajjanitor 11 ай бұрын

Probably my favorite player of this draft.

@creasecrasher 10 ай бұрын

I believe Benson used to play defense in his younger hockey seasons of U12 and U14. This shows on his backchecking and rush defending. So amazing to watch!

@PickIeMan3000 5 ай бұрын

I played with him through his Atom and Peewee years he was a center and was a forward his entire life, he develop his defensive skills in Bantam when he was one of the bottom players in a crazy stacked team, he needed to develop defensive skills due to his role on the team

@firstwest2474 10 ай бұрын

Buffalo got a good one - was a pleasure to watch him the last few years live here in Winnipeg, he will be paired up with Savoie who Buffalo drafted last year - they are a great duo on the PK and PP

@Freedom_is_essential1 9 ай бұрын

Who were you more impressed with Krebs, Savoie or Benson?

@firstwest2474 9 ай бұрын

@@Freedom_is_essential1 only saw Krebs play about 3 games - watched Benson and Savoie about 40x - I would put the 2 of them equal, both very intelligent players - they played together most of this year - I hope Buffalo, once they are in the NHL, play them together - brilliant on SH and PK situations

@Rms9209 10 ай бұрын

Welcome to Buffalo!!

@Matfridt 11 ай бұрын

OK, I'll take the heat, but hear me out: His work behind the net, along the boards and the stick lifts reminds me so much of Sidney Crosby. Not the biggest guy, but you can't get the puck from him and he WILL steal it from you. Deceptively strong player, which is something he himself admitted he worked a ton on before and during this past season. I LOVE Benson

@Jmulk96 11 ай бұрын

That’s a great comp, i see him as a lower pace Brayden Point

@Matfridt 11 ай бұрын

@@Jmulk96 I absolutely agree. The Crosby comparison ends with the manipulation and the stick- and boardwork tho, I just thought those parts of his game look very similar on tape

@66Bunn 10 ай бұрын

That's so weird. As a die-hard Penguin fan, as I was seeing these highlights and watching his stick play, footwork, manipulating D-men, the first person that came to mind was Sid.

@axe2grind244 10 ай бұрын

Pavel Datsyuk immediately comes to mind.

@j-mthibodeau9285 10 ай бұрын

The zone entry pass at 05:37 was nasty!

@bjarczyk 10 ай бұрын

Great analysis. Go Sabres!

@Jmulk96 11 ай бұрын

I genuinely cant see how so many people prefer smith to benson

@lowground3468 11 ай бұрын

Benson has that dawg in him

@Matfridt 11 ай бұрын

That's pure insanity to me. I think Smith is way overhyped atm, but I'm not trying to be a Smith hater here either. He's a fantastic playmaker, I just think Benson is a far better hockey player

@Jmulk96 11 ай бұрын

@@Matfridt agreed, I think smith’s meh skating and over-reliance on the hip pocked will hold him back

@Matfridt 11 ай бұрын

@@Jmulk96Yeah and side note: I'll be really upset if Smith keeps his NTDP line intact at Boston. I think it's potentially terrible for his development and I think it cannot be overstated how beneficial it was for everyone on that line to play together for a full season without exceptions. I need to see him carry a line and face a less ideal situation, because being on the same warm and cosy line for another year can't possibly be good for him. His numbers will look great, but he'll never get rid of the shortcomings in his game

@guillaumeturcotte4523 11 ай бұрын

Same here, for me benson should go before a lot of player. Hes gonna be drafted too low for what he deserve bc of his small size

@GLEE-lu8lg 10 ай бұрын

Wow Sabres got a steal 😬😳

@lechnis 11 ай бұрын

Keep the film room videos coming! 😀

@olympusvii 10 ай бұрын

incredible breakdown, thanks for this info. i was excited when my Sabres picked him, now im over the moon. the stats comparisons are wild..

@Davemx110 5 ай бұрын

Good call!! You see his first NHL goal? Was siiiick!

@electrohouselover07 11 ай бұрын

Great video! Can't wait to see how Benson's skills will translate in the NHL.

@yossarian1385 11 ай бұрын

You've made the best case for Benson I've heard yet. We'll see if he develops physically. He looked like a little boy w/stick arms at the combine.

@dickbiggerjr3613 10 ай бұрын

His arms can fill out, as a Sabres fan I'd like him to keep growing, The draft listed him as 5' 10 but everyone kept saying he's 5'9. The closer he gets to the 6 ft range the better, I don't think he'll hit 6 but every inch helps.

@yossarian1385 10 ай бұрын

@@dickbiggerjr3613 I think you guys scored big. Will all those talented F's, most of whom have good size, Benson can thrive. Sabres already have their stars, so less pressure. It's perfect for both parties.

@deepaktoor7376 8 ай бұрын

Absolutely incredible video man. Switching over to you from some other KZfaq hockey commentators. Thank you

@youngman44 10 ай бұрын

This has me so pumped for the Sabres! Let’s go!

@ladylightning98 10 ай бұрын

Can’t wait to see him in Buffalo!!!

@Jamroy27 8 ай бұрын

Great video! Well made and narrated

@richardknickmeyer9596 11 ай бұрын

Benson is 5' 9.75" 170lbs. at 18 years old. I don't think his size will hold him back.

@keenanodonoghue4747 10 ай бұрын

Will always be my favourite player in this class. Please Yzerman I am begging you.

@frequentsee3815 10 ай бұрын

Kind of a Datsyukian player eh

@moz7491 10 ай бұрын

Great breakdown...thank you!

@cheguevara8410 11 ай бұрын

High praises! I’m sold!

@omarrezk8605 11 ай бұрын

Great video as always

@brendanbishop4254 11 ай бұрын

I’m sold, great video

@milkcollins4764 11 ай бұрын

A Bedard/Michkov Hybrid without the lethal shot.

@jdm3075 10 ай бұрын

Kid plays A LOT like Claude Giroux. Lethal playmaker who's a fierce competitor with unreal hockey IQ and deceptive ability. Also plays above his weight physically and anticipates opponents well. I really hope Philly can get him... that would be poetic.

@Mworobitz 11 ай бұрын

Played drop in hockey against this kid a month ago. Good gear wear 👌🏻

@Mralanyrx 10 ай бұрын

Welcome to Buffalo!

@StampysPUB 10 ай бұрын

Welcome to Buffalo kid!

@zachtitus471 10 ай бұрын

Gonna fit in well! Have him in a line with Krebs and Quinn or Cozens and Quinn

@cedricguitard1381 11 ай бұрын

If montreal didnt have Caufield and Harvey pinard + Hutson as small players , id really like Zach Benson

@ehrobin3355 11 ай бұрын

If you add Benson you can move RHP to another team and get better without being too Small also, our current top 6 already includes 2 or 3 players over 6'3 in Dach, Anderson and maybe Slafkofsky and most of our D-core besides Harris and Hutson is over 6'0 as well so we are not a small team we just have Cole, Gally and RHP, our lack of size was so prevalent because all our big players got injured

@cedricguitard1381 11 ай бұрын

@@ehrobin3355 it make sense, i dont know how hard it would be to move RHP for a fair price tho, gally well hes not gonna be here for much longer i guess.

@Sonicthehedgefundmanager 10 ай бұрын

#BensontoDetroit

@Gabrielor89 10 ай бұрын

Awesome video.

@nadaduo1765 11 ай бұрын

Hey great video, when are you guys gonna be doing another draft meeting ?

@davidst-louis8315 11 ай бұрын

For our pre-season 2024 draft list! (Maybe...). We didn't record our last meeting because our final board took a month to make. But! We do have a Q and A coming up next Wednesday at 8pm. We're probably going to be talking about most of the top prospects.

@nadaduo1765 11 ай бұрын

@@davidst-louis8315 OK, thanks !!

@praisethepuck 11 ай бұрын

I think the better question is "Is Benson a NHL caliber center?", like usually small guys like him don't work as centers unless they're elite enough skaters like Point, but Benson's so defensively engaged that I can absolutely see it happening. I don't think many people seem to consider Benson as a center though, most discussions I've seen typically involve him as a winger instead.

@user-ed6nt1ml6p 11 ай бұрын

honestly pretty hard to play top 6 role in the NHL as a C when you are under 6 ft tall it's even harder when you are at 5"9 but maybe he'll still continue to grow who knows

@Jmulk96 11 ай бұрын

He isnt a WHL C so no way he’s an NHL C

@user-ed6nt1ml6p 11 ай бұрын

@@Jmulk96 yeah agreed on that one most likely a future winger

@hellomotoCoop 11 ай бұрын

Reminds me of Marner he really gets the gravitational forces of the puck

@jobid4947 10 ай бұрын

Man, if he can get on a line with Jeff Skinner and Tage, defenses are going to be spinning around in circles. His edgework and cleverness remind me of Skinner's. They would look like the Harlem Globetrotters out there.

@davidweirich9256 10 ай бұрын

Well both Jeff and Zach play LW soooo not gonna happen

@davidweirich9256 10 ай бұрын

He’s more skinners replacement on the top line

@larrydubill 10 ай бұрын

Great video and analysis! Welcome to Buffalo Zach, go Sabres!

@stephenphillips6245 11 ай бұрын

This player has got moves ...wonder if the Canucks can get him at 11 overall

@kolasillers7776 10 ай бұрын

Like him a lot .Sabres fan.

@rylanbaum4544 11 ай бұрын

Benson>Smith and I will die on that hill

@Jmulk96 11 ай бұрын

Based

@boomer1049 11 ай бұрын

Agreed

@TheGreekPoet 10 ай бұрын

💯.

@jesse8458 11 ай бұрын

With the 9th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Detroit Red Wings select...

@DONWASABIJUAN 11 ай бұрын

I’d feel much better picking him at 17 or trading up to 10-14 to get him. Idk he’s such a wild card

@olivierberube9305 11 ай бұрын

@@DONWASABIJUANwhat!? I would love my habs to take him with the 5th lol

@orisei 11 ай бұрын

This.

@user-ed6nt1ml6p 11 ай бұрын

@@DONWASABIJUAN Benson a wild card ?? lmao

@jesse8458 11 ай бұрын

@@DONWASABIJUAN he's a bit undersized, but he looks like he plays a lot bigger than his size. I hate to make comps like this (they're never really accurate), but his stick work and board play remind a bit of Datsyuk/Zetterberg: undersized guys who can be strong on the puck not just because of physical strength, but because of an innate knowledge of how to position themselves to get leverage. It's something that's hard to teach, and he's got it. Other than his size, everything screams "Yzerman-type player". He's got a lot of what Stevie tries to draft, specifically hockey sense, compete level, and 2-way play that is advanced for his age.

@moneygambler2327 11 ай бұрын

It would be a mistake not to pick Benson just because of his size. You can always trade him anytime for the big guys if your team is lacking in size that much.

@tonywarner4056 10 ай бұрын

Welcome to Buffalo!! We are finally building something here🙏

@jeffreyg4626 10 ай бұрын

Dude where have you been the last 2 seasons?

@user-we3zr6zl4k 10 ай бұрын

How is his shot? We haven't seen much about it?

@Michael_RareZebra 10 ай бұрын

Really smart player!! Since he plays with Geekie, I'd like to see him be picked at #6 by the Yotes.

@tomhull1276 10 ай бұрын

If he's still available at #13 when the Sabres pick, I wouldn't be surprised to see them snatch him up. He's a linemate of Matt Savoie on the WHL's Winnepeg Ice, and Savoie was the first of the Sabres two 1st-round picks in the 2022 Entry Draft.

@Michael_RareZebra 10 ай бұрын

@@tomhull1276 Sabres are so stacked! I’m hoping to see the Yotes vs. Sabres during the finals within this decade!

@tomhull1276 10 ай бұрын

@@Michael_RareZebra I hope so...cuz I'm not getting any younger.

@Michael_RareZebra 10 ай бұрын

@@tomhull1276 Okay then let’s make it in 3 years!! 😉

@tomhull1276 10 ай бұрын

@@Michael_RareZebra I'm hoping I don't end up like those Cubs fans I read about who waited their whole lives for them to win the World Series but weren't around when they finally did. What a Bummer!

@joechriste7052 11 ай бұрын

Just a few minutes into this and suddenly the name Pavel Datsyuk came to mind.

@frequentsee3815 10 ай бұрын

Holy hell I thought the same thing

@Revealingstorm. 10 ай бұрын

Buffallllooooo

@dervyscram8286 7 ай бұрын

This guy could be elite level blue liner. The dangle of Pavel Datsyuk with the angles of Niklas Lidstrom. The Sabres will win the Cup in 2 seasons

@RyanReynoldsHair 7 ай бұрын

Blue liner? He’s a winger. Duh

@umphstein4629 11 ай бұрын

Nice breakdown, got me hoping my caps get him at 8, after seeing this I don’t think he will be available

@andrewkaiser7203 7 ай бұрын

And he WAS available at 8.. and 9, and 10...and... GO SABRES!

@cmz5847 11 ай бұрын

Benson or Michkov to Philly cmon🙏🏼

@Sean-rc6vc 11 ай бұрын

or leonard

@Sean-rc6vc 11 ай бұрын

but benson fits the philly mold of a two way forward

@MapleSyrupPoet 10 ай бұрын

He's gonna be pretty good 👍 right there with Smith 😊

@johnmckeron3663 11 ай бұрын

Hope flyers take him if he’s available that’s what they need a player who can do it all

@boomer1049 11 ай бұрын

If they pass on Benson it better be for Michkov or Smith!

@johnmckeron3663 11 ай бұрын

@@boomer1049 with you on that

@codynick1999 10 ай бұрын

I’m not big on Michkov personally he plays great but with everything going on and that contract doesn’t seem worth it to me

@johnmckeron3663 10 ай бұрын

@@codynick1999 the more I read about him I don’t want him to many red flags there’s plenty of players just as good if not better

@sb0182 10 ай бұрын

If he was 6’2-6’3… He’d be in the conversation for 2nd overall imo

@Ween1776 10 ай бұрын

100%

@raezor82 10 ай бұрын

I’m seeing some Patrick Kane and Pavel Datsyuk here.

@DrLoomis80 10 ай бұрын

Welcome to Buffalo

@conradbiggums4294 11 ай бұрын

Does Benson have a shot at playing C in the league? Or is he destined for the wing?

@xirxirsday6583 11 ай бұрын

Like a 1% shot, players who don't play C at lower levels almost never do in the NHL.

@Ween1776 10 ай бұрын

Gonna be real hard to play C in Buffalo. Cozens and Thompson are allready a lock and 1+2 C. They still have insanely good center prospects after those 2. It's almost not even funny how much young talent this Sabres team has right now. There's legit 1-5 guys that could/probably should be on the roster next year but won't be able to

@trentonmoonias239 10 ай бұрын

Buffalo was just like yoink

@olympusvii 10 ай бұрын

lol 😅

@sorhaindo3137 11 ай бұрын

He almost reminds me of mitch marner a little

@whoknows111 10 ай бұрын

Now he's joining Matt Savoie in Buffalo.

@iansze2652 11 ай бұрын

I think his playstyle reminds me of a shorter Elias Pettersson without as good a shot.....if hes at 11 the Canucks need to pick him imo

@ericscottstevens 11 ай бұрын

I think he is a better player than LHC Matthew Savoie. Even though Zach is a LW both players have comparables. But Benson seems like he has more upside. Savoie went 9th overall in 2022, but Benson is in a strong draft class and we will see where he goes in the draft order. In a weak draft Benson could be a top 6 player overall, instead he may be top 10.

@sb0182 11 ай бұрын

EVEN in that monumentally stacked draft… He’s in my Top 6

@ericscottstevens 11 ай бұрын

@@sb0182 If one or both defenders are taken in the top 8 Benson could slip down as well as Ryan Leonard, and Dvorsky.

@percys9427 10 ай бұрын

He plays like Jonathan Marchessault

@bsu88 10 ай бұрын

Brayden Point

@perrinayebarra 10 ай бұрын

Let’s go Buffalo!

@ericgray8638 10 ай бұрын

Welcome to Buffalo!!!!!!!

@jeffreyg4626 10 ай бұрын

Hello hockey fans. Laugh not. Sabres will be a friggin' power house in 2 seasons!

@interchange2600 10 ай бұрын

Buffalo is set to win big

@MaxSkater69 10 ай бұрын

Welcome to Buffalo Kid!

@axe2grind244 10 ай бұрын

This title is what I like to hear. Let’s go Buffalo.

@socrates7722 10 ай бұрын

This guy is going to have at least 2 100 pt seasons in Buffalo.

@Jayrobban 10 ай бұрын

Wings are definitely taking Benson or Moore. Yzerman players.

@samspade4050 11 ай бұрын

It’s like watching how lane Hutson would look playing forward very similar moves

@Gobiw4x 11 ай бұрын

kent hughes please see this

@bushidodog 11 ай бұрын

Quin Musty scored at about the same PPG rate as Benson in the CHL, for a less prolific offensive team. Musty is younger, substantially bigger, and far more physical a winger. Why should Benson be rated higher?

@davidst-louis8315 11 ай бұрын

He's smarter, a better playmaker, and a better defensive player. Musty is smart, but Benson is a genius.

@user-ed6nt1ml6p 11 ай бұрын

@@davidst-louis8315 perfectly answered lol thanks ^^

@user-ed6nt1ml6p 11 ай бұрын

Benson is better overall not even close his ability to drive a line.. Musty just can't do the same pretty obvious tho as David said with other words Benson is just better overall

@bushidodog 11 ай бұрын

@@user-ed6nt1ml6p Meh, Musty was more productive in relation to the talent around him. If Benson was such a hockey genius, he would have scored 150 points on that loaded team and they would have dominated the playoffs. Musty has more upside.

@Freedom_is_essential1 10 ай бұрын

What do you think Buffalo fans, was this a reach or a steal at 13?

@interchange2600 10 ай бұрын

Equal talent to Bedard

@Freedom_is_essential1 10 ай бұрын

@@interchange2600 that is some extremely high praise right there

@44murdoc 10 ай бұрын

Biggest steal of the draft 😊

@interchange2600 10 ай бұрын

@@Freedom_is_essential1 why? Best player on the best team, best +/-, good D game, more skilled than Bedard, good shot.

@Freedom_is_essential1 10 ай бұрын

@@interchange2600 oh I’m not minimizing Benson, it’s just that Bedard is rated as a generational type talent and a consensus #1

@bsu88 10 ай бұрын

Brayden Point 2.0

@Feurmc_ 11 ай бұрын

Hab🫵

@TheForcerYT 10 ай бұрын

what a STEAL at 13 for the Sabres

@iamnewfie1 11 ай бұрын

the blues could take him at 10th..

@richardknickmeyer9596 11 ай бұрын

I would be so happy if that happens.

@sb0182 11 ай бұрын

I don’t think he’ll still be there tbh

@richardknickmeyer9596 11 ай бұрын

@@sb0182 If I told you the future you wouldn't believe me.

@whitneysmiltank 11 ай бұрын

Datsyukian

@TheGreekPoet 10 ай бұрын

Actually, a great comparable.

@Phlayy 11 ай бұрын

Man do I hope he falls to us

@nanaimoshoerepair 10 ай бұрын

Too bad the Canucks didn't get him

@danielflood1040 11 ай бұрын

idk… don’t think he’s that guy tbh. we’ll see in a few years.

@BubbleGumPlant 11 ай бұрын

Wouldn’t be surprised if GMs don’t learn their lesson with Caufield and Benson drops out of the top 10. I can see Buffalo or Pittsburgh stealing him at 13th or 14th overall.

@tristanmcguire4820 11 ай бұрын

Nah, if he’s there at 9, Yzerman is taking him

@bajjanitor 11 ай бұрын

Why would you compare those players? 5'7" is super anomalous while 5'10" is quite normal.

@user-ed6nt1ml6p 11 ай бұрын

@@tristanmcguire4820 I don't know I think Yzerman could prefer Moore or Dvorsky if they're still there at that spot

@44murdoc 10 ай бұрын

Good call Bub 👍👍👍

@tristanmcguire4820 10 ай бұрын

@@user-ed6nt1ml6p We we’re both wrong lol

@reunionisland7940 10 ай бұрын

i was genuinely very confused at how long he went undrafted. if anything i had been expecting detroit to draft him after trading away bertuzzi, but congrats to buffalo on picking up on others losses i hope he finds success