Zach Benson

Shoots left · 21 years old

	GamesGP	GoalsG	AssistsA	PointsP	ShotsSOG	Ice timeTOI
This season	4	0	1	1	8	19:16
Last season	65	13	30	43	116	15:53

Jump to

Role

Where he fits on Buffalo right now.

Line: L1 with J. Quinn and N. Ostlund · 12:04 a game together
Power play: PP1 Net-front
Penalty kill: Second wave 5 of 10 kills · 0:50 a kill
Ice time: 19:16 a game, 3rd-most among Buffalo forwards · 14:42 5-on-5 · 3:12 PP · 1:03 PK
Competition: Easier opponents than 65% of forwards · home 69%, road 59%
Easier opponents than 87% of forwards · home 86%

Where he stands out

What he does better or worse than most players at his position.

Better than most at his position

Setting up goals
0.71 first assists /60better than 90% of forwards
Creating chances
+0.19 expected goals /60better than 88% of forwards

Behind most at his position

Finishing
−1.1 goals above expected /100 shotsbehind 96% of forwards
Hardest shot
80.9 mphsofter than 90% of wingers
Power-play chances
1.70 expected goals /60behind 83% of forwards
Staying out of the box
0.98 penalties taken /60behind 81% of forwards

Listed only when we can be confident he is above or below average. Numbers from this season and last, through Oct 10. Compared with forwards who have played at least 20 games over the two seasons.

Better than most at his position

Time in the offensive zoneTop 10
49.3% of his timemore than 98% of forwards

Behind most at his position

Nothing yet where we can be confident he is below most forwards.

Listed only when we can be confident he is above or below average. Numbers from this season, through Oct 10. Compared with forwards who have played at least 3 games.

All ratings

Every rating, against other forwards.

Zach BensonAverage forwardLikely range

This season’s 4 games blended with last season’s 65, and pulled toward the average forward by an amount that depends on how quickly each rating settles.

Shooting volume, creating his own chances, shot blocking, hardest shot and distance skated compare wingers with wingers, because centers and wingers really differ there. Everything else compares all forwards.

This season’s 4 games only, pulled toward the average forward. Expect wide ranges this early.

Driving play at 5-on-5

Creating chances
Along for the rideDrives play
+0.19 expected goals /60top 12%
+0.04 expected goals /60average
Preventing chances
Chances against riseShuts it down
−0.08 expected goals against /60top 29%
−0.03 expected goals against /60average

Scoring

Shooting volume
Rarely shootsFires away
11.6 shot attempts /60bottom 35%
12.8 shot attempts /60average
Creating his own chances
Few chancesDangerous
0.77 expected goals /60top 43%
0.74 expected goals /60average
Finishing
Below expectedSniper
−1.1 goals above expected /100 shotsbottom 4%
−0.6 goals above expected /100 shotsbottom 28%
Setting up goals
Rarely sets upPlaymaker
0.71 first assists /60top 10%
0.59 first assists /60top 34%

Special teams

Power-play chances
QuietThreat
1.70 expected goals /60bottom 17%
1.85 expected goals /60top 39%
Shorthanded threat
Pure defensePower kill
1.05 expected goals for /60top 17%
0.90 expected goals for /60too few games

Physical and puck

Hitting
Avoids contactPhysical
hitting score 76average2.54 hits /60bottom 34%
hitting score 85average5.45 hits /60top 36%
Shot blocking
Rarely blocksShot blocker
blocking score 77bottom 26%1.84 blocks /60bottom 34%
blocking score 90bottom 44%1.56 blocks /60bottom 20%
Takeaways
RarePuck thief
takeaway score 120top 21%1.35 takeaways /60top 10%
takeaway score 85bottom 32%0.00 takeaways /60bottom 1%

Penalties and faceoffs

Drawing penalties
RarelyDraws calls
0.94 penalties drawn /60top 29%
0.70 penalties drawn /60bottom 34%
Staying out of the box
Often penalizedClean
0.98 penalties taken /60bottom 19%
0.84 penalties taken /60bottom 28%
Faceoffs
Loses drawsWins draws
49.0% wontoo few games
49.5% wontoo few games

Hitting, shot blocking and takeaways are arena-adjusted scores (100 is the average forward); switch “Hits and takeaways” to Raw in the settings to see the numbers as recorded. How the ratings work.

Shots

Where his shots come from, and how his misses miss.

Show

176 unblocked shots, this season and last, from his point of view. 3 more from outside the zone. Empty nets left out.

17 unblocked shots, this season, from his point of view. Empty nets left out.

How his misses miss

Wide left19
Wide right19
Over the net9
Off the post or crossbar6
Short or other2

55 missed shots. “Wide left” is from his point of view.

Wide left2
Wide right3
Over the net3
Off the post or crossbar0
Short or other1

9 missed shots. “Wide left” is from his point of view.

The NHL’s game data records how a shot missed, but not where in the net a goal or save went (glove side, blocker, five-hole). That needs paid camera tracking, so we don’t show it.

Skating and shot

Speed, bursts, shot power and where he spends his shifts, from the NHL’s own tracking (NHL EDGE).

Top speed
SlowerBurner
22.1 mphbottom 24%
21.0 mphbottom 32%
Fast bursts
RareFrequent
4.2 bursts /60bottom 36%
3.1 bursts /60bottom 25%
Hardest shot
SofterCannon
80.9 mphbottom 10%
79.1 mphaverage
Distance skated
ShorterCovers ground
9.90 miles /60top 18%
9.90 miles /60top 29%
Time in the offensive zoneTop 10
DefendingAttacking
41.6% of his timetop 38%
49.3% of his timetop 2%

Top speed and hardest shot are his best single moments over this season and lastthis season; bursts and distance are per 60 minutes of his ice time. Tracking data: NHL EDGE.