Let's talk Zach Benson....

[dudacek]

The line combo tool on Moneypuck is fun to play with but sure drove home to me how much time I've wasted arguing about depth charts and debating line combos.

The Sabres played close to 5,000 minutes of hockey this year. Their most common line combo (Tuch Thompson Peterka) played 188 minutes together.

I don't think I've ever once seen a Krebs/Benson line combo pitched, yet Peyton is one of Zach's most frequent linemates.

Once the puck drops, those charts might as well be tossed out the window. They certainly don't reflect what actually happens over the course of a season.

Just another reminder of what a chaotic game hockey is.

[DarthEbriate]

Yup. Your lines truly matter when you can catch a team after an icing and get your rested top line out against a winded 3rd line and get immediate pressure, or, when Sundin comes over the boards in the playoffs and you get Rasmussen-Zinger-Primeau off the ice after a 10-second shift and get Ward-Peca-Varada back out there to neutralize the threat (and then score against it).

[Pimlach]

Benson needs to develop a shot. 

Expected goals are not real,  he has to score more actual goals.  The only thing missing is the shot of a finisher.  

 

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, JP51 said:

I think Zucker is the baseline bar... clearly if you want to improve the team you are going to need that level at minimum... I wonder though how we get that done... I totally agree that they should not be expected to carry the heavy mail... I think of Peterka and Benson like the Roy/Pomenville and Vanek 3rd line in the good years... With Briere and Drury leading the first two lines they we allowed to acclimate and kind of gel together...   

I agree about Zucker.

I think Sabres have to do it mostly by trades. The McLeod trade was a good one (even if eventually Savoie is better). We need more like that and even bigger for even better. 

[LGR4GM]

7 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Benson needs to develop a shot. 

Expected goals are not real,  he has to score more actual goals.  The only thing missing is the shot of a finisher.  

 

That's not Benson's game. In fact I don't want him to be a shoot 1st finisher. 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

That's not Benson's game. In fact I don't want him to be a shoot 1st finisher. 

His doesn’t have to be a shoot first finisher necessarily, but a stronger shot will keep him in the top 6.  Shooting is the part of his games that is lacking.  Slow to release, and lacking speed.