LGR4GM

They should waive him. No one is claiming him.

I think you're missing my point. It's unlikely he makes the Sabres better because he's 18. Jack Hughes was my example. 21pts in 60ish games isn't super helpful. Idc if the play him 9 games or less tbh. But either way, he'll end up where he's supposed to. No worries either way.

The number of 18yr old players who are successful in the NHL is low. Jack Eichel didn't do it. He turned 19 in the early part of the season. Fantilli is turning 19. Bedard will be 18 but he's on the Jack Hughes path. It's just a more difficult ask and less likely. Personally, I think Benson this year in the NHL is maybe a 35pt player. He needs better speed And teams will learn how to play him. I've loved him since the draft but I'm willing to be patient. Jack Hughes is a better comparable. 18yr old 5'10" player with 21pts in 60ish games. That's probably a good read on Benson.

It's exceedingly less likely a player 10 months younger follows that path. It's gonna be similar to comparing rookie jjp to 2nd year jjp and then saying why didn't he do that last year. Benson being 1 yr older makes it much more likely he'll be better in the NHL. 10 months is essentially a full year. You're comparing a 19yr old to an 18yr old.

You're argument falls apart once you admit Keller was 19. I fully expect 19yr of Benson to be in the NHL.

Wolf and Levi are going to be a lot of fun

I would send him back because you slide that ELC and it ends after Jeff Skinner's 9mil deal ends. It has been mentioned by others but I think we need to mention that again.

Goaltender that has split time between AHL and NHL

I think they are trying to figure out how they order 7-9 on the defensive depth chart. EJ and Clifton will probably both get either Saturday's game or assuredly one or both of the final two games. I believe this game will result in a larger number of cuts as they send guys to the AHL or jrs.

https://x.com/SabresPR/status/1707387279910543868?s=20

We play the Blue Jackets on Saturday and then nothing again until Wednesday. I would guess there will be more cuts after tonight and then most of the remainder after Saturday's game. That would give the actual Sabres and a few extras still in the running 2 full games to get up to speed.

Comrie.

I felt we should waive Bryson before the season began and I haven't seen anything to make me think differently.

Elite Prospects rated him the best 2way forward in the 2023 draft class.

Isn't the only center Cozens?

He was one of the best defensive players in the whl if I remember right.

But you haven't shown me any cats, you've just told me they exist. Eichel and Gerbe were both well over 18 when they were injured.

Almost all teams use the first 2-4 preseason games to evaluate players that aren't regulars. After this weekend, across the league you'll see droves of guys sent to their respective ahl and junior teams.

if Benson is not physically ready I would hope either he or the team vocalizes that and takes the necessary steps to protect him and help him get physically ready. If that is not this season, I am fine with that. Even if it is not next season I am fine with that.

It is exceedingly lazy and I laid out why. You are saying that if anyone at all wants Benson in the NHL it is imply for entertainment when what Benson does is literally for entertainment. Hockey is a sport, it is entertainment. This is like going to a restaurant and being mad they serve food. That is my take away as well.

Then you are advocating for the playing age in the NHL to be raised from 18 to say 20? That is really what you are doing.

To be honest this is a really lazy counter argument. The reason we watch hockey at all is to be entertained. The argument to add Benson to the Sabres this season would be if he is good enough to positively contribute. If you want to extrapolate that out to "contribution = winning = entertaining" than I suppose you can but it is a really weak argument. The only reason we want Tage or Tuch on the roster is to be entertained too. The only reason we want Levi in goal is to be entertained. He got injured several years later on a strange hit when he was... 23?

Nathan Gerbe is 5'4". You aren't using a real comparable and I can list players like say ... Jack Eichel who are 6'2" that have been injured and gotten surgery so I don't really see your point. Injury is a risk of hockey.

https://theathletic.com/4903739/2023/09/26/zach-benson-sabres-training-camp/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983