The Sabres rookie has struggled to score since late December
Buffalo Sabres rookie Zach Benson has exceeded expectations this season, impressing at training camp, staying with the club past 10 games, not being sent to play for Canada at the World Juniors, and earning kudos from head coach Don Granato for his responsible two-way play.
The club is hoping that the All-Star break will rejuvenate the talented winger, as the 18-year-old faces a new challenge, replacing the injured Jack Quinn in the top six starting Tuesday against the Dallas Stars.
"It's just huge for our group as a younger group to just kind of mentally and physically refresh and now coming to the second half and really make a push," Benson said on Monday. "I've never played 82 games and you play every second night in this league. I've never really experienced that before. I definitely think (the break is) gonna help a lot."
Benson has 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists) in 38 games, but he has struggled offensively since late December, with one assist in his last 14 games. With Quinn out for the next six to eight weeks, the Sabres have elevated the youngster to playing on the second line with Dylan Cozens and J-J Peterka.
"I think Benson is smart enough and skilled enough to really contribute on that line," Granato said. "His elite skill is to buy himself that extra one or two seconds that you don't get in the NHL. (Benson) has (a) very intuitive sense of how to manipulate situations. The scoring is going to come. There's no question. I wouldn't be surprised if he scored and ended up with points tomorrow, because he's doing a lot of things that help enhance your potential of scoring."
Granato indicated that veterans Zemgus Girgensons and Erik Johnson have been cleared medically and will play against Dallas, who handed the Sabres their worst defeat last season, a 10-4 loss on March 9.
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