The more people you talk to about Zach Benson, the more you realize the Chilliwack Minor Hockey product is going to be a bona fide NHL star.

Benson is in his rookie year with the Buffalo Sabres but he isnB次元官网网址檛 exactly putting up numbers like B次元官网网址榯hat otherB次元官网网址� B.C. kid whoB次元官网网址檚 doing his thing with the Chicago Blackhawks.

After TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 3-2 loss to the Canucks in Vancouver, BensonB次元官网网址檚 season totals are a modest 9 goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 59 games. ThatB次元官网网址檚 31 points behind North VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Connor Bedard, who is the frontrunner for the Calder Trophy as the NHLB次元官网网址檚 Rookie of the Year.

In fact, Benson is 14th in the overall rookie scoring race but thereB次元官网网址檚 one major caveat.

HeB次元官网网址檚 doing it as the NHLB次元官网网址檚 second-youngest player at 18-years-of-age with only Bedard being younger.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 had an incredible season. He made our team because heB次元官网网址檚 a very intelligent player B次元官网网址� specifically without the puck. There are a lot of things that you would have to send a player back to junior or to the American Hockey League to learn (such as) playing without the puck, positioning without the puck, ability to compliment linemates, high compete and the ability to deal with the strength and size of opposing players despite only being 18-years-old,B次元官网网址� said Sabres head coach Don Granato. B次元官网网址淭hose are all things you get sent back down for but heB次元官网网址檚 been great in all of those areas and heB次元官网网址檚 been consistent in all of them from day one in training camp.B次元官网网址�

That consistency is one of the things that long-time Sabre color analyst Rob Ray has noticed on a nightly basis. Ray has seen a lot of players come and go during his 25-plus years with the organization as a player and now broadcaster.

The former tough guy never pulled any punches as a player or as an analyst, so when Ray is praising an 18-year-old, you know Zach Benson is doing the right things.

B次元官网网址淚 think heB次元官网网址檚 fit in very well. HeB次元官网网址檚 very well-respected amongst the guys. He understands heB次元官网网址檚 a rookie and he knows his place. A lot of guys come in and are cocky and demand more. This guy just does his thing and heB次元官网网址檚 gained a ton of respect. He has zero ego. He just goes out and works hard every day. HeB次元官网网址檚 been put in different situations but every time he goes out onto the ice he plays the same way. HeB次元官网网址檚 never been a liability at any point,B次元官网网址� noted Ray.

While some touted Benson as a Top-10 pick in last yearB次元官网网址檚 NHL Entry Draft, he fell to the Sabres at the 13th spot. A highly skilled player with the WHLB次元官网网址檚 Winnipeg Ice, BensonB次元官网网址檚 lack of size scared some teams off.

At 5B次元官网网址�10B次元官网网址� and 170 pounds, what Benson lacks in size is made up for with intelligence.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 gotten to be advanced as he is because heB次元官网网址檚 a self-learner and heB次元官网网址檚 a quick learner. You can present things to him between shifts and he can execute. He can adjust as fast as any guy on our team. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a talent on his own,B次元官网网址� explained Granato.

As for Benson, heB次元官网网址檚 just loving it all B次元官网网址� especially playing in front of friends and family in Vancouver for the first time.

Benson even admits he had that B次元官网网址榩inch meB次元官网网址� moment prior to the game against the Canucks.

B次元官网网址淗onestly, it was in warm-up. Looking around, it was pretty crazy. To be able to step on the ice for the first time there that was kind of another B次元官网网址渨elcome to the NHL moment,B次元官网网址� said Benson, who attended Canucks games growing up.

Playing at the NHL level means that when Benson now goes into a corner, itB次元官网网址檚 with a grown man B次元官网网址� not a 17-year-old kid as was the case in the WHL. Players are bigger, faster and stronger. The same decisions have to be made but with much less time and space.

It means trying to find out what he can and canB次元官网网址檛 do at the NHL level. The good thing about Granato is that heB次元官网网址檚 given Benson enough rope to see what he can and canB次元官网网址檛 do without benching him or even scratching him from the lineup. Benson has reciprocated by learning form his mistakes.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 my first year. YouB次元官网网址檙e going to make mistakes and IB次元官网网址檝e made mistakes. Donnie letB次元官网网址檚 you know when you make a mistake, but he also is not going to park you on the bench the rest of the game because you made a little mistake,B次元官网网址� said Benson.

OVERTIME

* The Canucks opened the scoring on a first period goal by Conor Garland and took a 2-0 lead when Elias Pettersson scored in the second period. The Sabres cut the lead to 2-1 midway through the third period with Rasmus DahlinB次元官网网址檚 marker but Pettersson scored his second of the game into an empty net with 1:51 remaining to give the Canucks a 3-1 lead. Dahlin made things interesting when he got his second of the game with 22 seconds left but Vancouver hung on for the win.

* B次元官网网址淚t was a good effort. Obviously, another good start B次元官网网址� I think are starts have been really good lately B次元官网网址� and I thought when they scored I liked our response. ThatB次元官网网址檚 something weB次元官网网址檝e been working on,B次元官网网址� J.T. Miller stated afterwards.

* Vancouver goalie Casey DeSmith made 15 saves in the game while BuffaloB次元官网网址檚 Devon Levi made 31 stops.

* Miller took a shot off his foot in the first period and went to the dressing room for the remainder of the period before returning to start the second. Needless to say, MillerB次元官网网址檚 injury did cause Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet some anxiety. B次元官网网址淚 did think for a second B次元官网网址榟ere we goB次元官网网址� but the trainer came back and said heB次元官网网址檚 coming back. That was big. ItB次元官网网址檚 never fun when one of your best players takes a shot. YouB次元官网网址檙e thinking the worst,B次元官网网址� said Tocchet.

* Former longtime Canucks physician Dr. Ross Davidson paid a visit to the alumni suite on Tuesday night. Davidson, who was one of the founders of the UBC Sports Medicine Clinic in the 1980B次元官网网址檚, spends the bulk of his time in his New Zealand but still maintains a residence in Vancouver and visits on a regular basis.

Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob B次元官网网址渢he MojB次元官网网址� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.

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