Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson scored 98 points in 60 games during his final WHL season, got selected No. 13 overall in the 2023 draft, made an immediate jump to the NHL and already has 101 points at hockey's highest level despite just turning 21 years old in May.
Yet, Corey Pronman of The Athletic still seems the believe Benson is a run-of-the-mill player incapable of making a high-end impact. He ranked the winger as the Sabres' sixth-best U23 player and the No. 124 overall player in that category around the NHL.
It's a laughable stance with no basis in reality, but Pronman continued to stand behind his ranking during an appearance Thursday on The Athletic Hockey Show by trying to downplay the fact Benson scored nine points (five goals and four assists) in 13 playoff games against the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens last season.
"Yeah, he played against two shitty teams, two shitty playoff-caliber teams. Like, the Bruins were not a good playoff team. The Habs were not a good playoff team," Pronman said.
Corey Pronman justifies ranking Zach Benson 124th, even after a strong playoff performance, by saying he “played against two shitty playoff teams” in Montreal and Boston. Scott Wheeler pushes back. #LetsGoBuffalo #GoHabsGo #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/DjDQHiGVcJ
— josh libfeld (@josh_libfeld) August 20, 2026
There are numerous players on Pronman's list who've never skated in an NHL game, and there's a strong chance some of the prospects placed ahead of Benson will never even reach the league.
For example, Vojtech Hradec (a 2024 sixth-round pick of the Utah Mammoth) is No. 107, which is 17 spots higher than the Sabres rising star, and HockeyStats.com gives him just a 1% chance of becoming a full-time NHL player. One percent!
Ranking hockey prospects isn't an easy task. You're going to get a lot of things wrong because there's typically a long development runaway from a player's draft year to when they fully establish themselves in the NHL (and most don't even reach that baseline point).
That said, suggesting a player like Hradec, who does have a solid combination of size (6'4'') and defensive awareness, has more long-term potential than Benson is just flat-out wrong. And that's far from the only example in the rankings.
Pronman would be far better off admitting it was a mistake or an oversight rather than trying to justify the unjustifiable. Each passing comment just makes the situation more ridiculous.
Sabres' Zach Benson could produce breakout offensive year during 2026-27 NHL season
Benson is coming off a campaign where he posted a career-high 43 points (13 goals and 30 assists) across 65 appearances before emerging as one of Buffalo's most dependable players in the postseason.
Those numbers don't even tell the entire story, though.
The 5-foot-10 Canadian was able to achieve that uptick in point production despite spending a fair amount of time on the fourth line because head coach Lindy Ruff became confident with Peyton Krebs on the top line, leaving the hardworking winger as the best option to handle a defensive role.
That's likely going to change during the upcoming season, especially after the Sabres handed him a seven-year, $52.5 million contract extension in June.
Benson will be given every opportunity to earn a spot on the first line, perhaps alongside Tage Thompson and Josh Doan, and his power-play minutes should also increase following the departure of Alex Tuch.
It's not just the role change that points to a brighter offensive future, either.
While the former Winnipeg Ice standout has netted a modest 34 goals at the NHL level, he's generated 51.9 expected goals, according to MoneyPuck. That hints toward a lot more scoring upside as he becomes a better finisher around the net, something he started to showcase in the playoffs.
His pedigree also suggests an ability to light the lamp more frequently, highlighted by a 36-goal campaign in his final year with the Ice.
Will Benson ever lead the league in goals? Probably not. But sometimes in takes players without an elite shot a little longer to find their groove in the NHL. Former Sabre Sam Reinhart is a prime example, and he ultimately put together a 57-goal season with the Florida Panthers.
Regardless, Benson is already a highly dependable two-way player despite only scratching the surface of his overall potential. That's a lot more than you'll ever be able to say about many players ranked above him on Pronman's list.
Maybe the absurd ranking will give the Buffalo forward a little extra motivation as the new season arrives.
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