Benson big on 'little things' to help excel ahead of 2023 NHL Draft
Forward prospect leaning on hockey IQ, strength for Winnipeg of WHL
Zach Benson doesn't need to venture far for insight on what to expect in his NHL Draft-eligible season.
The 17-year-old forward, who plays for Winnipeg of the Western Hockey League, simply follows the lead and work ethic of Winnipeg teammates
Matt Savoie
and
Conor Geekie
, each a first-round selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. Savoie, a center, was chosen No. 9 by the Buffalo Sabres, and Geekie, also a center, two picks later by the Arizona Coyotes.
"We don't talk about it a ton in our dressing room, but I definitely look at the little things they do," Benson said. "They're both such hard workers and the way they conduct themselves, just talking to and greeting people, you definitely take those little things and use it for yourself."
Though Benson (5-foot-9, 160 pounds) is certainly fortunate to have Savoie and Geekie as teammates, he's doing a pretty good job of carving his own identity in his third WHL season. Benson, No. 7 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel, leads Winnipeg in scoring with 62 points (24 goals, 38 assists) and game-winning goals (six) in 36 games.
He'll play in the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Langley, British Columbia, on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN, RDS).
"My hockey IQ is my greatest asset," Benson said. "I think it's better than most and it allows me to excel in other facets of my game. The biggest thing I worked on over the summer was just getting stronger. I think my in-game strength is huge ... I like to win battles down low and all over the ice."
He has learned plenty under the tutelage of Winnipeg coach James Patrick, who played 21 seasons as a defenseman in the NHL.
"Coach has been extremely important in my career," Benson said. "When I got here as a 15-year-old, I wasn't so complete. I don't think that I was the best, defensively, and he really harped on that. I think that's what really elevated my defensive game to where it is today."
In no area has that been more evident than on special teams, where Benson is tied for the WHL lead with five short-handed goals, along with 12 power-play points (three goals, nine assists).
"When it comes to the power play, I think quick puck movement is the key," he said. "When people get on the power play, they tend to lollygag and think you don't have to move it as quick, but quick puck movement and finding holes is a big thing for me."
Benson hasn't played center since he was 12 years old but, if needed, is capable in a pinch. He has 145 points (59 goals, 86 assists) and averages 1.23 points-per game in 118 career WHL games.
"Our team does a lot of video, but I think just watching NHL games goes a long way," he said. "It helps watching guys like Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning) and John Tavares (Toronto Maple Leafs) and the little things they do in the defensive zone. But they also get the offensive zone production and I think you definitely learn by watching those little things they do."
Benson is usually working alongside Geekie but, on occasion, has had Savoie as his center.
"He's an extremely talented player, extremely explosive," Benson said of Savoie. "He can go zero-to-100, just like that, but really every part of his game is elite, so it's great to play on a line with him."
John Williams of Central Scouting said Benson is accurate in describing himself as an intelligent player.
"He's right up there with how he processes the game," Williams said. "He's a player who wants the puck on his stick and wants to be a game-changer."
But what sets Benson apart from other forwards in the 2023 draft class?
"I think my work ethic and will to get better," he said. "I think that's what really kind of sets me apart from most. I just show up to the rink with a mindset to get better every day and not take a day off."
PROSPECTS ON THE RADAR (listed alphabetically):
Nate Danielson (6-1, 185), C, Brandon (WHL): Danielson, No. 13 on Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters, ranks 10th in the WHL with 54 points (22 goals, 32 assists) in 41 games. The 18-year-old, who will play in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects game, is also 410-for-762 on face-offs (53.8 percent).
"Nate is a guy that can play the wing, too, but I like him at center because he's such a powerful skater and can beat you just by practically running you over but also with speed and quickness to the outside," Central Scouting director David Gregory told the
'NHL Draft Class' podcast
. "And then the ability and skill to cut to the net when it looks like there's no room to do so."
Bradly Nadeau (5-10, 161), LW, Penticton (BCHL): The 17-year-old right-handed shot leads the British Columbia Hockey League in goals (29), points (69), game-winning goals (seven) and points per game (1.97) in 35 games. Nadeau, No. 19 on Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters, has 115 points (49 goals, 66 assists) in 84 career BCHL games. He's committed to the University of Maine for 2023-24.
"It takes an interesting decision to play the off-wing because you put yourself at a disadvantage in your own zone, trying to get that path coming out of your own zone if you turn the wrong way," Gregory said. "You have to be smart, you have to have quick hands, which is all the things he does have. But when he gets into the attacking zone, all of a sudden, that disadvantage for him becomes an advantage because he sees all the ice in front of him."
Calum Ritchie (6-2, 187), C, Oshawa (OHL): Ritchie is second on Oshawa with 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) and first with 104 shots on goal in 38 games. The right-shot center, who turns 18 on Saturday, also is second on the team in face-off winning percentage (53.5; minimum 100 face-offs). He's No. 17 on Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters and will play in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Wednesday.
"Ritchie has got those eyes on all sides of this head, where he sees things that are just maybe not visible to others and can make that quick decision when to move the puck and find the open man," Gregory said. "He's also deceiving. You think he's going to pass it and then it's in the back of the net because he has such a quick release."
Photos: Zach Peters, Winnipeg (WHL)
