Zach Benson's NHL tryout, 2023

[Taro T]

9 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Olofsson is still on the roster.  As much as you would like it, he's not going anywhere this season.  We still have three goalies too.

2 things.

1.  He's on the roster, but he isn't in the lineup.  The only reason he was in the lineup is because of Quinn's injury.

Which brings us to 2:

2.  Were Quinn not injured, expect there is a very high probability that Olofsson would not be back.  He was benched last year down the stretch and apparently at clean out expressed his displeasure at that and a willingness to be elsewhere.  That's prime Batsignal to Adams that it's time to move on from a guy.  Circumstances made that difficult.  Again, had Quinn not been injured really expect Adams would've granted Vic's wish.

And, wouldn't be so sure that when the playoffs open up that Olofsson will still be a Sabre.

They'll have to do something with Savoie soon; when that time comes, something will have to give.  Either he goes back to WA, or somebody else leaves the 23 man roster.  AFAIK, Savoie isn't on BF-LTIR, he is merely on regular IR so in order to give him a conditioning loan to the Amerks, he'll need to be activated onto the 23 man roster.  (IF he's on BF-LTIR, he can stay on IR while on the conditioning loan, but again, don't believe that's the case with his situation.)  Either your buddy VO or your buddy UPL likely gets taken off the 23 man roster to make room for Savoie's look-see.  Would have to be somebody else going to IR to make room if neither happens.

[LGR4GM]

17 minutes ago, Taro T said:

2 things.

1.  He's on the roster, but he isn't in the lineup.  The only reason he was in the lineup is because of Quinn's injury.

Which brings us to 2:

2.  Were Quinn not injured, expect there is a very high probability that Olofsson would not be back.  He was benched last year down the stretch and apparently at clean out expressed his displeasure at that and a willingness to be elsewhere.  That's prime Batsignal to Adams that it's time to move on from a guy.  Circumstances made that difficult.  Again, had Quinn not been injured really expect Adams would've granted Vic's wish.

And, wouldn't be so sure that when the playoffs open up that Olofsson will still be a Sabre.

They'll have to do something with Savoie soon; when that time comes, something will have to give.  Either he goes back to WA, or somebody else leaves the 23 man roster.  AFAIK, Savoie isn't on BF-LTIR, he is merely on regular IR so in order to give him a conditioning loan to the Amerks, he'll need to be activated onto the 23 man roster.  (IF he's on BF-LTIR, he can stay on IR while on the conditioning loan, but again, don't believe that's the case with his situation.)  Either your buddy VO or your buddy UPL likely gets taken off the 23 man roster to make room for Savoie's look-see.  Would have to be somebody else going to IR to make room if neither happens.

It would be a massive mistake on Adams part to view the Quinn injury as a reason to keep VO. If you have decided to move on from a player do it and let the rest of your depth compensate. 

[Taro T]

40 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

It would be a massive mistake on Adams part to view the Quinn injury as a reason to keep VO. If you have decided to move on from a player do it and let the rest of your depth compensate. 

Not disagreeing.  But do expect that what he was willing to accept in return for Olofsson adjusted after the injury and likely discussions with him about whether he did in fact want to be a Sabre.  He was bought in to being a Sabre prior to the benching.

[LGR4GM]

23 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Not disagreeing.  But do expect that what he was willing to accept in return for Olofsson adjusted after the injury and likely discussions with him about whether he did in fact want to be a Sabre.  He was bought in to being a Sabre prior to the benching.

If Adams saw the Quinn injury and changed his tune on VO I think that is a mistake. The analytics alone show that we should move forward. Love VO as a person and for a long time as a player. 7th round picks rarely do what he did, but I think subtracting VO from this team and replacing him with anyone from Savoie to Rousek to Biro, makes this team better. 

[TheAud]

I think VO is a sunk cost and Adams needs to not succumb to the sunk cost fallacy. If he's already benched by game 3 and given his history it's hard to see him working his way back into the line-up consistently. When the next forward gets hurt do you want to see VO go back in, or call up Rousek or Biro or Kulich or Rosen? Any of the AHL guys are better options. 

If he can't garner a 7th round pick or whatever, just waive him. 

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

If Adams saw the Quinn injury and changed his tune on VO I think that is a mistake. The analytics alone show that we should move forward. Love VO as a person and for a long time as a player. 7th round picks rarely do what he did, but I think subtracting VO from this team and replacing him with anyone from Savoie to Rousek to Biro, makes this team better. 

OK, two dudes thinking the same thing at the same time...and then posting on it.  (see my post above)

[French Collection]

1 minute ago, TheAud said:

I think VO is a sunk cost and Adams needs to not succumb to the sunk cost fallacy. If he's already benched by game 3 and given his history it's hard to see him working his way back into the line-up consistently. When the next forward gets hurt do you want to see VO go back in, or call up Rousek or Biro or Kulich or Rosen? Any of the AHL guys are better options. 

If he can't garner a 7th round pick or whatever, just waive him. 

Kulich is making a statement in the AHL with 4 goals, 2 of them OT winners. He didn’t show much in pre season but he is only 19 and will only get better. He could get a call up at some point.

[Pimlach]

11 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Briere struggled initially and took on a rigorous training program to add muscle to his frame. Physically he was a different player than Benson. It's a different era and little lightweights do better earlier but they can also get smucked. This place will lose it's s%%t if Marchand takes out Benson the same way he took out Hughes (or something similar from someone else). I worry about that with a kid this young and slight (for pro hockey)

For some reason I do not see Benson as slight, even with the 170lb weight.   He looks more sturdy than Reinhart did as a rookie and he is playing in the NHL at a younger age and is smaller.  His body position is always smart and his head is up.   

I like Greenway on his line and I think this years Greenway will be a deterrent to opponents getting out of line, although with Lucic and Marchand you never know what they will do.  

[LGR4GM]

11 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Briere struggled initially and took on a rigorous training program to add muscle to his frame. Physically he was a different player than Benson. It's a different era and little lightweights do better earlier but they can also get smucked. This place will lose it's s%%t if Marchand takes out Benson the same way he took out Hughes (or something similar from someone else). I worry about that with a kid this young and slight (for pro hockey)

Name a team and a player where the fanbase wouldn't lose their ***** if a Marchand "took them out". This applies to everyone and it is why you  need a team defending itself in its entirety versus bringing in a 4th line deterrent type. I am sure Greenway and Mitts and Benson can handle it, IF it were to even come up. 

24 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

For some reason I do not see Benson as slight, even with the 170lb weight.   He looks more sturdy than Reinhart did as a rookie and he is playing in the NHL at a younger age and is smaller.  His body position is always smart and his head is up.   

I like Greenway on his line and I think this years Greenway will be a deterrent to opponents getting out of line, although with Lucic and Marchand you never know what they will do.  

Lucic won't even be able to catch Benson because Lucic is slow as crap now. 

[Randall Flagg]

Happy to give him his last 5, but if they look like the last two I'll be ready to send him back down to hit the gym.

[PerreaultForever]

21 hours ago, dudacek said:

Marchand, the guy who is listed 6 pounds heavier and 3/4 of an inch shorter than Benson?

You're not seriously going to suggest Benson is a physical match for Marchand at this point are you? If you do, no offense, but I will never be able to read you seriously again. 

Did you see Benson get manhandled off the puck tonight and how it cost us a goal? If not, watch the game again. 

[PerreaultForever]

11 hours ago, Pimlach said:

For some reason I do not see Benson as slight, even with the 170lb weight.   He looks more sturdy than Reinhart did as a rookie and he is playing in the NHL at a younger age and is smaller.  His body position is always smart and his head is up.   

I like Greenway on his line and I think this years Greenway will be a deterrent to opponents getting out of line, although with Lucic and Marchand you never know what they will do.  

6:25 of the highlight package. Turned the game around.

 

[Two or less]

On 10/17/2023 at 11:27 PM, Two or less said:

I realize it's not a popular take, but i think they gotta send Benson back to the WHL. While he shows flashes of being very good, his potential is enormous, let him cook in the WHL and light up the score sheet. I think besides the few nice flashes he makes, he just loses the puck too easily too many times. He just doesn't seem strong enough for this level. I think as theres more tape on the kid teams gonna feast on him more.

 

Yeah, now im convinced. He must return back to the WHL.

[PerreaultForever]

10 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Name a team and a player where the fanbase wouldn't lose their ***** if a Marchand "took them out". This applies to everyone and it is why you  need a team defending itself in its entirety versus bringing in a 4th line deterrent type. I am sure Greenway and Mitts and Benson can handle it, IF it were to even come up. 

Lucic won't even be able to catch Benson because Lucic is slow as crap now. 

Yes he is, but Beecher and Lauko are not. Lucic trails on every play but it kind of works as he comes in late after they both get in there. He will be in position to intercept the outlet man. It's a heavy line and hard to play against. Much like Philly's Deslauriers Hathaway line. They will both give us trouble. 

As for the Marchand comment, I eagerly await the day the Sabres really stand up for themselves and not just pushy shovey a little when something happens. I hope it happens one day, be it Marchand or whoever. 

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

6:25 of the highlight package. Turned the game around.

 

Yup.  There was another worse play on a missed breakout.  Tough game for him. 

[Thorner]

46 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Yup.  There was another worse play on a missed breakout.  Tough game for him. 

This was always the issue with attempting to replace Quinn with the Next Quinn. The BEST case scenario was realistically another very good rookie season. But with increased expectations, we didn’t need another good rookie season, we needed a good veteran level season that CURRENT Quinn was penciled in to provide. They didn’t replace Quinn, it was so weird 

Edited October 20, 2023 by Thorny

[Zamboni]

I love the silence when he looks good. But the cacophony of negativity that erupts when he has a rough game. 
Nice 👍🏼
 

He may still go back down after 9 games, and that’s fine, but not after tonight’s game.

[thewookie1]

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

This was always the issue with attempting to replace Quinn with the Next Quinn. The BEST case scenario was realistically another very good rookie season. But with increased expectations, we didn’t need another good rookie season, we needed a good veteran level season that CURRENT Quinn was penciled in to provide. They didn’t replace Quinn, it was so weird 

My best guess is they didn't want a roster issue for Quinn's return.

Seems to be a trend for the Sabres; essentially once you earn a spot you can't lose it barring absurdity akin to Olofsson's fall from grace

[Radar]

Benson has a bad game! Well lets see who else do we send away that have had bad games like maybe the rest of the team practically. LOL.

[Stoner]

6 hours ago, Zamboni said:

I love the silence when he looks good. But the cacophony of negativity that erupts when he has a rough game. 
Nice 👍🏼
 

He may still go back down after 9 games, and that’s fine, but not after tonight’s game.

Silence. Oh, OK.

You don't get it, do you?

[WhenWillItEnd66]

I do think he has the talent to stay with the team, but he needs to go back down and add some muscle and weight. Skill is there but the body is not. 

[Pimlach]

Benson had a very rough 4th game versus Calgary.  It was the first time so far that he looked out if place.  He earned his -3 for sure. 
 

With VO falling behind Jost, Benson will still play. Then we decide after 9 games if he sticks.  

 

[Mustache of God]

I don't see him staying up. I think it's great he made the team and is getting a real taste of NHL action but having the frame of an 18 year old kid is holding him back.

[Crusader1969]

On 10/19/2023 at 10:17 AM, LGR4GM said:

It would be a massive mistake on Adams part to view the Quinn injury as a reason to keep VO. If you have decided to move on from a player do it and let the rest of your depth compensate. 

they should have moved on from him in the off-season I know he probably didnt' get a "fair" offer for a 28 goal scorer but sometimes you need to just cut your losses. 

[dudacek]

On 10/19/2023 at 7:39 PM, PerreaultForever said:

You're not seriously going to suggest Benson is a physical match for Marchand at this point are you? 

Not at all. Im suggesting little guys can thrive with the right mix of awareness and attitude, like Marchand has for 15 years.

I’m pushing back against the predisposition he’s going to fail because of things that have nothing to do with how he actually plays.

For me, it was and is, always going to be a long haul thing with Benson: against expectations, he’s earned his chance; can he sustain it?

He’s looked like he’s belonged in 2 games, looked like an impact player against the Islanders and looked overwhelmed against Calgary.

It’s a story that’s still being written.

Edited October 22, 2023 by dudacek

[Pimlach]

10 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Not at all. Im suggesting little guys can thrive with the right mix of awareness and attitude, like Marchand has for 15 years.

I’m pushing back against the predisposition he’s going to fail because of things that have nothing to do with how he actually plays.

For me, it was and is, always going to be a long haul thing with Benson: against expectations, he’s earned his chance; can he sustain it?

He’s looked like he’s belonged in 2 games, looked like an impact player against the Islanders and looked overwhelmed against Calgary.

It’s a story that’s still being written.

I think he will be a good player someday.  He is learning right now that he needs to get stronger.  He will grow and add muscle.  
 

He is a natural, he knows where to be, he already plays a two way game.  He will be hard to play against someday.