First-rounders Savoie and Benson are slated to be top liners for Canada
The Buffalo Sabres prospect pool is expected to be on display at the 2024 IIHF World Junior in Gothenburg, Sweden next month, and in an article previewing Team Canada’s roster, the Athletic projects that 2022 top pick Matthew Savoie and 2023 first-rounder Zach Benson will be on Canada’s top line.
Savoie, 19, who was demoted to the Wenatchee Wild of the Western Hockey League earlier this month, and Benson, 18, who is still with the Sabres, are projected to play with Boston University freshman Macklin Celebrini, the likely top pick of the 2024 NHL Draft.
Seattle Thunderbird’s goalie Scott Ratzlaff, Buffalo’s 2023 fifth-rounder, is in the mix for one of the two Canadian spots in net, along with North Bay’s Domenic DiVincentiis, and Halifax’s Mathis Rousseau.
Benson’s recent play and the injury to center Tage Thompson may affect the Sabres decision as to whether to send the 18-year-old back to Wenatchee before playing his 10th NHL game and to make him available to Hockey Canada next month. If Buffalo chooses to keep him, then it is unlikely they will loan him for three weeks to a month to play internationally.
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