Will Buffalo Sabres rooks Zach Benson, Matt Savoie stick around?
By Sion Fawkes
Zach Benson and Matt Savoie are both playing pro hockey in the Buffalo Sabres system, but will they show enough to stick around?
Zach Benson has played well overall during his NHL stint, and he still has a few more games left before the Buffalo Sabres decide what they will ultimately do with the prospect. Savoie is playing Rochester for the next two weeks and he looked good in his season debut, notching his first point at the professional level.
But what will happen when Benson maxes out at his nine games and Savoie’s two weeks are up? Do you keep them both with the big club (which would result in some roster transactions the Blue and Gold probably doesn’t want to do), do you send them back to Wenatchee, or do you send just one of them back?
At this point, it would be surprising if anything was set in stone, since Benson still has four games left until the Sabres need to make a decision while Savoie still has an ample amount of time left in his reconditioning assignment. If I were general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Don Granato, I’d stay silent on the issue until I get the full sample size, then I’ll go from there.
What if the Buffalo Sabres reassign Benson and Savoie to Wenatchee?
This is the situation that would also result in player movement, as it would leave an empty slot at forward with the Sabres until Jack Quinn returns. Of course, the Patrick Kane speculation would heat back up, but the Blue and Gold would be smarter to call up a forward from Rochester who can play a sound two-way game.
Buffalo already has one defensive liability in Victor Olofsson, and they don’t need another one in Kane, even if they have improved in the early stages of 2023-24 in playing without the puck. If they believe Benson or Savoie can fulfill the role long-term, then one of those two will remain in a blue and gold uniform.
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But if not, roll with a sound two-way forward for the time being. Then cross the bridge again when Jack Quinn is cleared for full-go. And remember, Savoie still has nine games that the Buffalo Sabres can take advantage of too, so that could also be a possibility once Benson’s nine are up.
(Data provided by Hockey-Reference)