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Photo of NHL player Zach Benson

Buffalo Sabres Logo Zach Benson

Position Left Wing Current Team Buffalo Sabres
Shoots Left Current Contract 3 years
Height 5'10" Expires 2025-26
Weight (lbs) 177 Expiry Age (Jun 30) 21
Age 20 (May 12, 2005) Expiry Status RFA-arb
Drafted 2023, Round 1, Overall 13 (BUF)
Date Team Transaction
Oct 31, 2025 Buffalo Sabres Placed on IR
Nov 5, 2024 Buffalo Sabres Activated from IR
Oct 28, 2024 Buffalo Sabres Placed on IR
Jul 28, 2023 Buffalo Sabres Signed to an entry level contract.
Status History Coming Soon

2025-26 Player Card



URL: https://www.thestanleycap.com/cdn/player_cards/20252026/zach-benson-8484145.png

2024-25 Player Card



URL: https://www.thestanleycap.com/cdn/player_cards/20242025/zach-benson-8484145.png

2023-24 Player Card



URL: https://www.thestanleycap.com/cdn/player_cards/20232024/zach-benson-8484145.png

About Player Cards

Player cards present an infographic of a players performance. In this case it shows the player performance over a 3 season span. Each square is separated into three separate sub-boxes with the two smaller boxes on top representing the past two seasons and the larger box on the bottom representing the current or most recent season. This allows the reader to guage how consistent a player has been, and if early in the season it can help identify whether a players performance may be impacted by small sample size and subject to regression or is consistent with recent past performance.

Notes and Definitions
  • The numbers represent percentiles so the higher the better.
  • Percentiles are determined by comparing Forwards to Forwards and Defensemen to Defensemen.
  • Bursts/mi are calculated from NHL Edge Data are are speed bursts above 20mpg per mile skated. The NHL doesn't adjust for ice time so the players that skate more will naturally have more bursts over 20, or at least more opportunity to have more. The NHL also does not provide ice time in the context of NHL Edge Statistics, however, it does provide distance skated. By adjusting for distance skated it will have a similar effect to adjusting for ice time but also adjust for situationional effect. For example, Players don't typically skate as much on the PK, mostly within the defensive zone, so don't get significant opportunity in that ice time to get speed bursts above 20mph. Adjusting with miles skates would account for this better than adjusting with ice time.
  • Sh%AE is Shooting Percentage above Expected (Sh% - xSh%) and is an indicator of how good a shooter is at converting chances into goals.
  • Relative statistics are On Ice - Off Ice statistics and can be an indicator of whether the player makes his teammates better or worse.
  • All data is 5v5 except Shooting Hardest and Average, Skating Top Speed and Bursts/mi which are all situations, ES Average which is even strength (NHL doesn't give a specific definition).
Data Sources
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5v5 Individual Stats

Season Team(s) GP TOI G/60 A/60 Pts/60 xG/60 GAE/60 Sh% xSh% Sh%AE %SA Rush %SA Reb.
2023-24 BUF 71 880:56 0.68 1.09 1.77 0.70 -0.02 12.82 13.19 -0.37 2.59 10.34
2024-25 BUF 75 904:43 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 - - - 0.00 13.21
2025-26 BUF 8 112:45 0.00 1.60 1.60 0.64 -0.64 0.00 10.95 -10.95 0.00 28.57

5v5 On Ice Stats

Season Team(s) GP TOI SAF/60 GF/60 xGF/60 SAA/60 GA/60 xGA/60 GF% xGF% xGF Rel xGA Rel xGF% Rel
2023-24 BUF 71 880:56 44.00 2.38 2.58 38.41 2.59 2.31 47.95 52.74 0.16 -0.28 4.45
2024-25 BUF 75 904:43 14.26 0.00 0.00 13.46 0.00 0.00 - - 0.00 0.00 -
2025-26 BUF 8 112:45 38.31 2.66 2.23 38.31 1.60 2.37 62.50 48.44 -0.72 -0.44 -2.67

NHL Edge Stats

Skating Shooting Zone Time
Season GP Top Speed Bursts>20/mi Avg. Speed ES Avg. Speed Top Speed Avg. Speed %Long Range %Mid Range %High Danger ES DZ% ES NZ% ES OZ%
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Legend

Percentile 0-25 Percentile 25-50 Percentile 50-75 Percentile 75-100
Forwards are compared with forwards and Defensemen are are compared with Defensemen.

5v5 Lines

Season
Season Teammate Teammate Team TOI GF/60 GA/60 GF% xGF/60 xGA/60 xGF% xGF Rel xGA Rel xGF% Rel
This table is for Basic and Premium subscribers only. To view please login to and/or subscribe to one of our subscription plans. 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 2030-31 2031-32 2032-33 2033-34 2034-35

Glossary

Type Statistic Definition
IndividualG/60Goals Against per 60 minutes.
IndividualA/60Assists per 60 minutes.
IndividualPts/60Points per 60 minutes.
IndividualxG/60Expected Goals per 60 minutes.
IndividualGAE/60Goals Above Expected (G/60 - xG/60).
IndividualSh%Shooting Percentage.
IndividualxSh%Expected Shooting Percentage.
IndividualSh%AEShooting percentage above expected (Sh% - xSh%).
Individual%SA RushPercentage of shot attempts determined to be on the rush.
Individual%SA Reb.Percentage of shot attempts determined to be from rebounds.
On IceSAF/60Shot Attempts For per 60 minutes.
On IceGF/60Goals For per 60 minutes.
On IcexGF/60Expected Goals For per 60 minutes.
On IceSAA/60Shot Attempts Against per 60 minutes (lower is better).
On IceGA/60Goals Against per 60 minutes (lower is better).
On IcexGA/60Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes (lower is better).
On IceGF%Goals For Percentage = Goals For / (Goals For + Goals Against)
On IcexGF%Expected Goals For Percentage = Expected Goals For / (Expected Goals For + Expected Goals Against)
On IcexGF RelxGF/60 when On Ice - xGF/60 when not On Ice.
On IcexGA RelxGA/60 when On Ice - xGA/60 when not On Ice (lower is better).
On IcexGF% RelxGF% when On Ice - xGF% when not On Ice.
Individual and On-Ice stats from Puckalytics.com (starting in 2015-16). NHL Edge Stats from edge.nhl.com (starting in 2021-22). Edge statistic definitions can be found at the Edge Stats Glossary.

News and Opinions

Current Contract

Entry Level Contract ( )  (0 ratings)

Season Age* Clause Cap Hit AAV Perf. Bonus Sign. Bonus Salary Compensation Minors Salary Status
2023-24 18 $950,000 $1,600,000 $650,000 $95,000 $855,000 $950,000 $82,500 ELC
2024-25 19 $950,000 $1,600,000 $650,000 $95,000 $855,000 $950,000 $82,500 ELC
2025-26 20 $950,000 $1,600,000 $650,000 $95,000 $855,000 $950,000 $82,500 ELC
Total $1,950,000 $285,000 $2,565,000 $2,850,000 $247,500
Signed: July 28, 2023
Team: Buffalo Sabres
GM: Kevyn Adams
Exp. Status: RFA-arb

Career Statistics

Regular Season Playoffs
Season League Team GP G A Pts +/- PIM Shots Sh% TOI/G GP G A Pts +/- PIM Shots Sh% TOI/G
2016-17 WSI U12 Pro Hockey Hutson Selects U12 6 3 5 8 6
2018-19 WSI U14 Draftday Hockey Selects U14 7 0 3 3
2018-19 CSSHL U15 Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep 28 6 13 19 12 5 1 3 4
2019-20 CSSHL U16 Yale Hockey Academy Elite 15s 5 1 1 2
2019-20 CSSHL U15 Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep 30 30 56 86 26 2 3 2 5
2020-21 WHL Wenatchee Wild 24 10 10 20 +8 12
2021-22 WHL Wenatchee Wild 58 25 38 63 +40 28 15 9 14 23 +9 10
2022-23 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Canada U18 5 2 5 7 2
2022-23 WHL Wenatchee Wild 60 36 62 98 +68 49 15 7 10 17 +2 8
2023-24 NHL Buffalo Sabres 71 11 19 30 -3 36 98 11.2 14:31
2024-25 NHL Buffalo Sabres 75 10 18 28 -2 60 120 8.3 14:49
2025-26 NHL Buffalo Sabres 8 0 8 8 +3 6 16 0.0 19:02
NHL Career 154 21 45 66 -2 102 234 9.0 14:54