Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson was selected as one of the NHL's top 10 breakout candidates ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Harman Dayal of The Athletic pointed out Benson's strong underlying metrics from his first two seasons in Buffalo and said his performance before turning 20, which he did in May, gives the two-way winger "tantalizing upside."
In addition, the 2023 first-round draft pick is now being given the chance to join Josh Norris and Tage Thompson on the Sabres' top line.
"Playing with a linemate of Thompson's caliber in a full-time top-six role could do wonders for boosting Benson's production," Dayal wrote. "Benson was an elite point producer in junior, so there's plenty of reason to believe he has untapped offensive growth left, even though he is undersized and doesn't have elite straight-line speed."
An offensive explosion to pair with his already solid defensive acumen would put the 5-foot-10 ball of fury on a fast track toward two-way stardom.
Sabres' Zach Benson garnering NHL-wide attention ahead of possible breakthrough season
A quick glance at Benson's baseline numbers through two years won't blow your socks off. He's recorded 58 points (21 goals and 37 assists) in 146 appearances for Buffalo. That doesn't tell the entire story, though.
The Canadian has played lower in the Sabres' lineup, often in the bottom six, because of his defensive strengths. That means he's been on the ice with less offensively skilled players, namely Peyton Krebs, on a frequent basis and that's capped his scoring upside.
In addition, just six of Benson's 58 points have come on the power play. His ice time with the man advantage should also increase substantially in 2025-26.
"He's a puck battle-winning machine because of his relentless, non-stop work rate and he can make high-end plays because of his puckhandling in traffic and playmaking vision," Dayal wrote.
As for Benson, he's not worried about where he's put in the lineup on Opening Night. He's more focused on improving his game-to-game impact.
"You look at the top guys in the league, they go through ups and downs," the former Winnipeg Ice standout told Rachel Lenzi of the Buffalo News. "It's the hardest league in the world for a reason. Consistency and mentally being prepared every night, it goes a long way, and that's one of the biggest learning lessons I've had."
Anybody still sleeping on Benson is going to get a wake-up call this season if he stays healthy. The combination of effort, talent and skill is finally going to get the finally piece of the puzzle added in: opportunity.
All signs point to the forward taking full advantage of that chance to move up the lineup, and he should establish himself as a long-term cornerstone for the Sabres in the process.