| Zachary Benson | |
| Birth Date: | 12 May 2005 |
| Birth Place: | Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 10 |
| Weight Lb: | 170[1] |
| Position: | Left wing |
| Shoots: | Left |
| League: | NHL |
| Team: | Buffalo Sabres |
| Prospect League: | WHL |
| Draft: | 13th overall |
| Draft Year: | 2023 |
| Draft Team: | Buffalo Sabres |
| Career Start: | 2023 |
Zachary Ruben Benson (born May 12, 2005) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 13th overall by the Sabres in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.[2]
Benson finished third in WHL scoring in 2022–23 with 36 goals and 98 points in 60 games, behind fellow BC-born prospect Connor Bedard.[3]
On July 28, 2023, Benson signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Sabres.[4] On October 12, 2023, Benson made his NHL debut against the New York Rangers, where he logged a minor penalty in a 5–1 loss.[5] On November 22, 2023, Benson scored his first career goal in a 3–4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals.[6]
At the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Benson had two goals and five assists in five games, helping Canada win gold.[7]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2020–21 | Winnipeg Ice | WHL | 24 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Winnipeg Ice | WHL | 58 | 25 | 38 | 63 | 28 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 10 | ||
| 2022–23 | Winnipeg Ice | WHL | 60 | 36 | 62 | 98 | 49 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 8 | ||
| 2023–24 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 71 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 71 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Award | Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| WHL | |||
| East First All-Star Team | 2023 | [8] | |
| CHL Third All-Star Team | 2023 | ||