Benson uses speed, work ethic to emerge as top 2023 NHL Draft prospect

The 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The first round will be June 28 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 are June 29 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a look at forward Zach Benson with Winnipeg of the Western Hockey League. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

BUFFALO -- Nothing, it seems, can slow Zach Benson's work ethic and desire to get better.

Not even calling a new city or town home every week each summer, when finding somewhere to skate would sometimes prove to be a challenge. Benson's parents own a company that organizes fairs and carnivals and during the summers they'd travel to different cities throughout Western Canada, living in an RV trailer for the week.

"Every week I was in a different hockey camp or finding a way to stay active," he said. "Some weeks we were in smaller towns that didn't have ice rinks in the summer, so lots of jogs. … My brothers and my cousins would always find a way to stay active, whether that's going to hockey camp or the swimming pool. We had lots of fun.

"In the moment, you don't really realize what kind of experience you're going through but looking at it now, it's a pretty cool experience."

The forward (5-foot-9, 163 pounds), who is No. 6 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel, has had a passion for the game for as long as he can remember, thanks to his father, a rabid hockey fan. He'd turn on the TV to watch the games, and his son quickly was hooked.

That zeal was evident once he started playing, too, at 5 years old. From the get-go, he never wanted to leave the ice.

"From a young age, I've always hated to lose and always loved to win," Benson said. "Honestly, probably just from mini-stick games and just little stuff like that. Just always want to get better and want to win."

While dedicated to the game, he's also someone who brings positive energy -- so much so that people have asked him if he ever stops smiling.

"I take a lot of pride in that," he said. "Even when times are maybe not going your way, I think it's always good to have a laugh or be smiling. You've got to enjoy life, even throughout the downs."

RELATED: [Complete 2023 NHL Draft coverage]

Benson has taken steps in each of his three seasons with Winnipeg of the Western Hockey League and received a confidence boost ahead of this season from helping Canada win the gold medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August, when he had seven points (two goals, five assists) in five games.

He led Winnipeg and finished third in the WHL with 98 points (36 goals, 62 assists) in 60 games, then had 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 15 playoff games.

"The puck handling, the hockey sense, the skating is all elite to me, but I think what separates him from others is his competitiveness and his drive to make things happen when he's on the ice," said Jean-Francois Damphousse of NHL Central Scouting. "He's the type of player that seems every shift he's on the ice, he's creating offense. Whether it's with his brain or his skating or his vision, there's always something happening."

Matt Savoie, his teammate with Winnipeg, has witnessed it firsthand. They have been teammates for two seasons and were linemates this season.

"His motor is definitely the thing that separates him from the rest," said Savoie, the No. 9 pick by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2022 NHL Draft. "He's always going 100 miles an hour, always possessing the puck. And away from the rink, he's the same way; he's always trying to get better, always looking for little keys and little areas that he can improve, and that's what makes him so good."

Benson's defensive game also has improved since he debuted in the WHL as a 15-year-old in 2020-21. He was entrusted by coach James Patrick as a 16- and 17-year-old to play in all situations, allowing his game without the puck to evolve.

"He's the type of player that has a lot of confidence in himself, and I think that's a positive," Damphousse said. "To play in the NHL, you need that. And it's not cockiness; it's that edge where you're confident in your own ability. I think that's probably a part that really built over time.

"But this year he made a step forward as far as taking control of games and knowing that he can make a difference every game."

He hasn't had to go through his draft year experience alone. In addition to having numerous friends up for this year's draft, including projected No. 1 pick Connor Bedard of Regina (WHL), he's benefitted from the experience of previously drafted teammates Savoie, Conor Geekie (Arizona Coyotes, No. 11, 2022), Carson Lambos (Minnesota Wild, No. 26, 2021) and Peyton Krebs (Vegas Golden Knights, No. 17, 2019) to help him through the season.

Krebs, now with the Sabres, was Winnipeg captain for three seasons (2018-21) during his time in the WHL.

"Just to be confident, don't be nervous, just go do your thing," Benson said of the advice he's received. "It's gone a long way for my confidence."

He's grown several inches and added weight since starting in the WHL and knows he'll need to continue to get stronger as he gets older. Thus far, though, size hasn't deterred him.

"As a smaller player, people don't expect you to be in front of the net and tip pucks, but that's one of the areas of my game where I take pride in," he said.

Benson can't imagine a life without hockey. When filling out a survey from NHL Central Scouting, he didn't know how to answer a question about what he would want to do if he wasn't playing hockey because "there's nothing else that I'd rather be doing."

"It's kind of hard to think outside of the sports world," Benson said. "But yeah, I'd probably say the carnival (business)."

Photos: Zach Peters, Winnipeg, WHL; Benson family

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