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Zach Benson

Injury Notes: Sabres, Penguins, Ryan, Jarnkrok

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The Buffalo Sabres’ depth will be tested just two games into the season, with top-six wingers John-Jason Peterka (concussion) and Zach Benson (lower-body) both facing injury, per Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News. No timeline was provided for either player. Benson was held out of the team’s Saturday morning game in favor of top prospect Jiri Kulich, while Peterka exited the game after just three shifts. Lysowski added that team captain Rasmus Dahlin also seems unhealthy, despite being the team’s clear-cut top defender through their first two games.

The menagerie of injuries is weighing heavily on the Sabres, who lost both games in the Prague series by a combined score of 7-2. Peterka recorded the primary assist on Buffalo’s first goal of the year – making a strong play behind the net to set up Owen Power in the slot. Those are the hard-nosed plays Peterka has become known for in his early career, a big part of how he managed 28 goals and 50 points last season. Despite being in his age-18 season, Benson wasn’t too far behind – netting 11 goals and 30 points of his own, though he did miss 11 games to injury last year. Both players are not only core pieces of the present Sabres lineup, but pillars of the team’s future. Their healthy and speedy recovery will be paramount as the team looks to find their bearings when they return to America.

Other injury updates from around the league:

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins are also bearing through a pair of injuries, with both Bryan Rust and Vasiliy Ponomarev listed as day-to-day per Tribune-Review Spots’ Seth Rorabaugh. No details or timeline were provided. Rust has missed the bulk of Pittsburgh’s preseasons with what were originally described as maintenance days, before this injury designation. He’ll have his eyes set on the team’s top line when he returns to full health, having posted a commendable 56 points – split evenly – in just 62 appearances last year. Ponomarev doesn’t have the same lineup security, though his 30 points in 43 AHL games last season could be enough to warrant a test in the bottom-six. Any bout with the Penguins would be notable for the 23-year-old Ponomarev, who made his NHL debut with Carolina last season – scoring two points in two games.
  • Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch listed forward Derek Ryan as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, shares Tony Barr of Oilers TV. Ryan has continued skating at the tail end of Edmonton’s practices, though he was held out of the team’s final preseason game on Friday. He’ll be in the mix for fourth-line minutes when he returns, likely set to return to the role that earned him 12 points in 70 games last season.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has confirmed Calle Jarnkrok’s lower-body injury is nagging, telling TSN’s Mark Masters that it’s the same injury that limited the forward at the start of training camp. Jarnkrok has only appeared in two preseason games, and continues to miss practices as a result of his injury. He’ll be a bottom-six multitool when he returns, though Jarnkrok first faces the test of overcoming a lingering issue.

Snapshots: Marlies, Sabres, Hall, Golden Knights

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The Toronto Marlies have signed Boston University forward Sam Stevens to a one-year AHL contract set to begin next season (Twitter link). He’ll finish off this year on an amateur try-out contract with the Marlies. Stevens is turning pro after completing his fifth year with the Terriers, totaling 142 games across his collegiate career. That’s the most any one player has played for Boston University since 2018 when Brandon Hickey wrapped up his collegiate career with 147 games.

Stevens never found much of a scoring groove in Boston, totaling just 50 points in his appearances. 35 of those points came in the last two seasons when Stevens managed 18 and 17 points respectively. And while certainly modest scoring, Stevens was able to earn his keep with very stout defense for a centerman. He’s simply reliable, winning faceoffs and guarding opponents well. He’ll certainly need to improve his energy on the offensive side of the red-line as he approaches pro hockey, but Stevens’ ability to shut down play in his own zone could adapt well to the next level. He’ll look to slot into one of the Marlies remaining two games this regular season.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Buffalo Sabres will have good reason to tune into the 2024 World Championship, as five different Sabres are expected to represent their country, per Rachel Hopmayer of Spectrum News in Buffalo (Twitter link). This includes Owen Power, Bowen Byram, and Dylan Cozens representing Team Canada; Rasmus Dahlin representing Team Sweden; and John-Jason Peterka representing Team Germany. Zach Benson and Jack Quinn also mentioned that they haven’t yet been contacted by Team Canada, though they’d have to discuss with general manager Kevyn Adams before committing, per X (Twitter link).
  • Taylor Hall won’t be slotting into the Chicago Blackhawks’ season finale, per Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun Times (Twitter link). This news comes despite Hall appearing at the team’s Thursday morning skate. He’ll close his season having not played since November 19th, when he suffered an ACL injury that required surgery. Hall played in just 10 games this year, the fewest games of a season in his 14-year career. He scored four points in those appearances. Hall is under contract with Chicago through the end of next season, carrying a $6MM cap hit.
  • William Carrier and Mark Stone both took the ice at the Vegas Golden Knights’ optional Thursday practice, donning no-contact jerseys, per SinBinVegas (Twitter link). Both players are working their way back from long-term injuries, with Stone out since February 20th with a spleen injury and Carrier sidelined since March 25th with an upper-body injury. Stone returned to practice on April 12th and will push to be ready for the start of Vegas’ playoff race this weekend, though his continued no-contact assignment could shed doubt on his Game One availability.

Sabres Appear Unlikely To Send Benson To World Juniors

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Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News is reporting that it seems likely that the Buffalo Sabres will hold on to 18-year-old Zach Benson rather than sending him overseas to play for Team Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Nothing concrete has been decided yet, but as Lysowski writes, the Sabres will likely need the 2023 13th overall pick to fill in for the injured Jeff Skinner.

Hockey Canada is hoping to finalize their roster by the end of this week and purposely left a roster spot vacant because they were hoping to see if an NHL player could be made eligible at some point this week. With Skinner out, the Sabres have lost a top-line left winger and will have to try to fill that void by committee, and Benson could be a big part of that.

Benson has dressed in 20 games thus far this season posting three goals and five assists. While his offensive numbers don’t jump off the page at first glance, his analytics are quite good and he’s done a very good job of driving play at 5 on 5.

The Sabres are dealing with a bunch of injury issues at the moment and likely won’t be able to spare a forward when they are already missing Skinner, Jordan Greenway, Jack Quinn, and Zemgus Girgensons.

TSN’s Darren Dreger also weighed in on the situation and echoed what Lysowski had said. Dreger believes that Benson is not expected to be loaned to Team Canada.

Atlantic Notes: Timmins, Benson, Barkov

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TSN’s Mark Masters has tweeted that Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins will play today, making his season debut for the team after he suffered a lower-body injury in a preseason game back on September 29th. Timmins could help fill some of the offensive void left by injured rearguard John Klingberg who was recently put on LTIR. Timmins offensive capabilities were on full display in the preseason when he notched six points in three games and he does have a very similar skillset to that of Klingberg, although the Maple Leafs will be hoping for a different result as Klingberg struggled early in his first season with Toronto.

Timmins benefited greatly from last year’s trade that saw him sent to the Maple Leafs by the Arizona Coyotes. In 25 games with Toronto, Timmins posted two goals and 12 assists while averaging 15 minutes of ice time per game. His puck management left a lot to be desired, but he did talk in the preseason about learning not to force plays with the puck and making better reads.

In other Atlantic Division notes:

  • The Buffalo News reporter Lance Lysowski tweeted today that Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson skated with the Sabres’ second power-play unit and looks as though he will plan in his tenth NHL game of the season today. Sportsnet later confirmed the news meaning that Benson will see the entry-level contract he signed for three seasons kick in immediately, and it can no longer slide or extend by a year. Benson is one of four players from the 2023 NHL entry draft who is playing in the NHL at the moment, and he has been productive thus far in nine games tallying a goal and four assists.
  • Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald tweeted that Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has confirmed that star center Aleksander Barkov will return to the lineup tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. Barkov injured his knee last week against the Anaheim Ducks and missed the Panthers last two games. He took his usual spot in the lineup during this morning’s practice centering a line alongside Evan Rodrigues and Sam Reinhart. Barkov’s return will be a welcome sign for the Panthers as the 28-year-old has registered six goals and 11 assists in 16 games this season.

Sabres Activate Eric Comrie, Zach Benson; Move Tage Thompson To IR

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The Buffalo Sabres have made multiple transactions ahead of tonight’s tilt against the Winnipeg Jets, namely activating netminder Eric Comrie and winger Zach Benson, who will both return to the lineup tonight after semi-lengthy absences, Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550 relays. To make room on the 23-man roster, injured forward Tage Thompson was moved to IR and winger Lukáš Rousek was reassigned to the AHL’s Rochester Americans.

Comrie, 28, will make his first appearance since sustaining a lower-body injury in an October 27 game against the Devils. After an eight-game absence, the veteran backup returns and the Sabres will continue to carry three goalies when all are healthy. Rookie Devon Levi will serve as Comrie’s backup against the Jets tonight, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who’s started the majority of the Sabres’ 16 contests this season, will serve as a healthy scratch.

In the second season of a two-year, $3.6MM deal signed in free agency in 2022, Comrie looks much improved in a small sample. In three appearances, all starts, Comrie’s .914 SV% and 2.45 GAA both lead the team. He will continue to stay in the regular rotation for starts so as to not overload Luukkonen and to continue to let the 22-year-old Levi adjust to the pro game.

Benson, 18, returns after missing seven straight games (and nine out of the last 12) with a lower-body injury. The winger seems well-acclimated to the NHL game thus far, doing well in terms of zone entries and showing a willingness to cut to the slot to make plays. After two assists in six games, though, the Sabres are approaching a decision on whether to burn the first season of his entry-level contract or return him to the WHL’s Wenatchee Wild. As covered earlier today, the Sabres aren’t yet sure what they’ll decide regarding the future of the 2023 13th overall pick.

Thompson has already been listed as week-to-week with a presumptive wrist injury sustained Tuesday against the Bruins, and he will miss far more than the seven minimum days required for an IR stay. With Comrie and Benson ready to return, the Sabres no longer had room to keep the injured center on the active roster. The 26-year-old had six goals and 12 points in 16 contests this season.

Rousek returns to Rochester after failing to make much of an impact on his recall, going without a point in five contests and posting a -2 rating. The 24-year-old averaged 11:14 but registered just one shot on goal and four total shot attempts. Sabres head coach Don Granato was likely looking for much more out of Rousek, who had started the season strong with two goals and six points in eight games for Rochester. The 2019 sixth-round pick now returns to the team he led in scoring last season with 56 points in 70 games.

Sabres Undecided On Zach Benson Past Nine Game Trial

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Buffalo Sabres head coach Dan Granato recently spoke on the team’s plans with rookie forward Zach Benson, who is nearing a return from injury after dealing with a lower-body injury that earned him a spot on injured reserve a couple of weeks ago. Granato shared that the team has yet to decide whether to keep Benson with the NHL club or not and that his first three games back from injury will be “huge” in informing that decision. Benson currently sits at six NHL games played this season and will burn a year of his entry-level contract if he plays in a 10th game. If he doesn’t stick in the NHL lineup, Benson will be returned to the WHL’s Wenatchee Wild, where Sabres teammate Matthew Savoie was just assigned.

Benson has been a surprise going back to last summer when he fell to the Sabres at 13th overall despite many public scouting outlets touting him as a top 10, or even top five, pick in the draft class. He continued to raise eyebrows with a stellar showcase at the Sabres’ training camp, earning an immediate spot on the NHL roster as a 5’9″ 18-year-old. But he’s only managed two points in the six NHL games he’s appeared in while averaging just over 13 minutes of ice time. It’s been a slow start in terms of production but the Sabres are clearly fans of how Benson is adjusting, with Granato adding that there’s a “clear comfort level there.” They will have a small sample of games, coming off an injury, to get a final assessment of Benson before they’ll need to decide if they want to keep him for the season.

The Sabres are expecting Benson, as well as Alex Tuch and Eric Comrie, to return to the lineup on Friday.

Atlantic Notes: Husso, Klingberg, Timmins, Benson

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Red Wings netminder Ville Husso has left the team, currently in Sweden for the 2023 NHL Global Series in Stockholm, to return home after the birth of his and his wife’s first child, per Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. The 28-year-old, currently in the second season of a three-year, $14.25MM contract, has started 10 of the Red Wings’ 15 games this season but has struggled lately, posting a sub-.900 SV% in each of his last three starts. On the season, he now has a 6-3-1 record with a .885 SV% and 3.61 GAA, conceding 5.7 goals above average. In his place, 30-year-old Alex Lyon is expected to make his Red Wings debut in one of the team’s two overseas contests, either Thursday against the Senators or Friday against the Maple Leafs. Detroit has carried Lyon as a third goalie on the active roster for the entire 2023-24 season, unwilling to expose him to waivers, but he hasn’t seen a minute of action in the crease after a strong showing in 15 games to close out last season with the Panthers.

A few more notes out of the Atlantic Division today:

  • Maple Leafs right-shot defenseman John Klingberg is likely to miss that Friday tilt against the Red Wings, head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters Wednesday (via Lance Hornby of The Toronto Sun). The 6-foot-3 Swede is still dealing with an undisclosed injury that sidelined him for November 10th’s shootout win over the Flames, although he returned to play 19:00 the following night against the Canucks, registering a +1 rating. The much-maligned 31-year-old from Gothenburg is cooling down after a decent start, posting no points in his last eight outings and is down to a -7 rating on the season. Klingberg did travel with the team to Sweden but has not practiced with the squad since arriving in his home country.
  • Staying with Toronto, Keefe also told reporters that defenseman Conor Timmins is likely to return from a lower-body sustained in preseason play during the team’s trip to Sweden. He practiced with the team earlier this week and is now expected to enter the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Wild, although he hasn’t been ruled against the Red Wings if he gets closer to playing shape quicker than anticipated over the next two days. Timmins has been strong in limited action since joining the Leafs via trade from the Coyotes last season, posting 14 points in 25 games with the team post-trade despite averaging just 15:37 per contest. His role in the lineup became unclear after Toronto added Jake McCabe and Luke Schenn after last year’s trade deadline, though, making him a healthy scratch for most of the tail end of the season. After a strong showing in the early goings of the 2023 preseason, too, Timmins will look to begin the first season of his two-year, $2.2MM contract on a high note and be of value to the Leafs, especially while Timothy Liljegren remains sidelined with an ankle injury.
  • Sabres rookie winger Zach Benson is likely to return from a lower-body injury on the team’s upcoming three-game road trip, head coach Don Granato told Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News on Wednesday. Benson, still just 18, hasn’t looked out of place so far in NHL action, posting two assists in six contests while averaging over 13 minutes per game. He’s missed ten out of the last 12 games with the injury, however, and will need to be activated from IR before he returns to play. The Sabres’ trip includes stops in Winnipeg on Friday, Chicago on Sunday, and Washington next Wednesday.

Sabres Recall Lukáš Rousek, Place Zach Benson On IR

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Nov. 3: Buffalo has now moved Benson to IR to accommodate Rousek making his 2023-24 Sabres debut tonight against Philadelphia, Joe Yerdon of Bleacher Report notes.

Nov. 2: The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Lukáš Rousek from the AHL’s Rochester Americans, per a team announcement Thursday.

Buffalo currently has a full 23-man roster, so a corresponding transaction needs to be made along with the recall. This will likely be moving rookie winger Zach Benson to IR. The 18-year-old is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury and missed the team’s last contest, a Wednesday night win against the Flyers.

The Sabres are slated for a rematch with the Flyers at home on Friday. Rousek, 24, could be an option to slide into the lineup if winger Alex Tuch is unavailable to play. He was absent from practice today due to a maintenance day, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports. The team also has Swedish winger Victor Olofsson available, although he’s been a healthy scratch in four out of ten games this season and remains without a point in 2023-24.

This is the fourth NHL call-up for Rousek, who was brought up three times on emergency and standard recalls near the end of last season. He made two appearances, notching a goal and an assist on three shots and a +2 rating. A sixth-round pick of the Sabres in 2019, Rousek is off to another strong start with AHL Rochester after posting strong totals in his first full minor-league campaign last year. He’s notched two goals and four assists for six points and a -3 rating in eight games this season, including a multi-point effort against Laval last week.

Buffalo Sabres Zach Benson Out Week-To-Week With Injury

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The Buffalo Sabres have announced that rookie forward Zach Benson is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Benson has played six games so far this season, recording two points and a -1.

Zach Benson has become a name to follow through the early season, wowing at training camp after going 14th overall in the most recent NHL Draft. His early jump to the NHL has surprised many, and Benson’s statistical profile may speak to the need for a little more time in the oven. He’s currently carrying a 43.44 CF% and 50.0 xGF% – modest numbers that certainly aren’t bad for an 18-year-old but are enough to make an NHL team look in another direction. The Sabres have three more free games of Benson before they’re faced with the decision of spending a contract year or not. If they decide he’s better off getting some more development time, he’ll be sent back to the Wenatchee Wild of the WHL, where teammate Matthew Savoie will play after his AHL conditioning stint.

The Sabres recalled undrafted forward Brandon Biro to the NHL in response to Benson’s injury. Biro will likely become the team’s extra forward, as Tyson Jost slots in to fill Benson’s role. Jost has played in six games so far this season, tallying two points, split evenly. Jost is in his first full season with the Sabres, after joining them partway through the 2022-23 campaign. He netted 22 points in 59 games with Buffalo last year.

The news of Benson’s injury is a tough blow for a Sabres lineup looking to elevate their young talent. It could also have negative implications on Benson’s case to stay in the NHL, as he’ll be fighting to both return to form after injury and keep an NHL roster spot when he returns to play.

Buffalo Sabres Zach Benson, Devon Levi Out Day-To-Day

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Two crucial young Buffalo Sabres players are out with lower-body injuries: Zach Benson and Devon Levi. According to the team, both Benson and Levi are considered day-to-day at this stage.

While both injuries could very well be minor and cause only brief absences for each player, the immediate implications of the loss of these two players is significant for the Sabres. Head coach Don Granato’s forward lines have undergone major surgery. Dylan Cozens was moved from second-line center to first-line right winger, Jordan Greenway was also elevated to the first line, and among other changes veteran Victor Olofsson re-entered the regular lineup pitcture  in Benson’s place.

The loss of Benson is somewhat minimized by the fact that the Sabres had Olofsson (who scored 28 goals last year) as a healthy scratch. Their surplus of quality forwards is not mirrored in net, though, where any loss of Levi would be more significant.

Although the team does have a surplus of goalies in terms of numbers, (they are carrying three netminders on their active roster) they do not appear to have a surplus in terms of quality.

Neither Eric Comrie or Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have performed exceptionally at the NHL level for the Sabres, and Levi has started all of the Sabres’ games so far this season. This is a season where Buffalo is looking to end the NHL’s longest playoff drought, and their slower-than-expected start has been something of a concern.

With an important rematch against the Islanders coming up tomorrow, the Sabres will have to hope that the lower-body injuries that kept Levi and Benson out of practice today won’t cost them much more than that.

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