WHL Wenatchee Wild

Wild Announce Buffalo Sabres' Signing of Forward Zach Benson

Published on July 28, 2023 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release


BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Wenatchee Wild, proud members of the Western Hockey League (WHL), are excited to announce the signing of forward Zach Benson to a three-year entry-level contract Friday with the Buffalo Sabres. Benson was selected 13th overall by the Sabres in the 2023 National Hockey League Draft last month. He made his first appearance in uniform for Buffalo at the team's Development Camp earlier this month.

"It was obviously really cool to play in front of such passionate fans," Benson said in a team statement. "I've kind of soaked everything in. I love the city of Buffalo and I'm getting used to it. It's really cool to learn about."

After leading Winnipeg with 23 points during the team's 2022 run to the Eastern Conference Final, he cranked his game up to a new level with 98 points during the 2022-23 WHL regular season, good for third place on the league leaderboard. His 17 points helped push his team to another deep playoff run, reaching this past season's WHL Final, and his +68 plus/minus mark this past season was also a new career-best. In three seasons of WHL competition, Benson has racked up 71 goals and 110 assists in 142 appearances.

Benson was the 35th player in the former ICE organization to have been taken in the NHL Draft, including four first-rounders over the past three years. A return to the Wild during the upcoming season would add his name to a brief list of players in the organization's history to put on a Wenatchee uniform after being drafted - Chase Perry returned to the Wild for the 2015-16 British Columbia Hockey League season after being selected by Detroit in 2014, and Cade Littler was chosen by the Calgary Flames in the 2022 draft before returning for the team's final season in the BCHL in 2022-23. Last year's Winnipeg roster featured nine players who had already been selected in the NHL Draft, including Matthew Savoie, who was selected ninth by the Sabres in last year's draft.

"Me and Sav (Savoie) played the whole year together on the same line," Benson said after Round 1 of the draft. "Now to be sharing the same NHL jersey, it's pretty amazing and I'm looking forward to it."

Wenatchee's first WHL campaign begins with a home preseason game September 9 against the Tri-City Americans, and the team's home opener September 22 against the Portland Winterhawks. 2023-24 season tickets are still on sale - to purchase season tickets, call 509-888-7825 or stop into the team office at Town Toyota Center. Updated news and information on Wild hockey are always available through the team's website and on the team's social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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