The Buffalo Sabres signed forward Zach Benson to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7.5 million, the team announced Wednesday. He’s now under contract through the 2032-33 season.
Benson, 21, was set to become a restricted free agent after his third NHL season, which saw him record a career-high 43 points (13+30) in 65 games before starring in the Sabres’ two playoff series.
An NHL regular since being drafted 13th overall in 2023, Benson opened 2025-26 with a couple injuries – he missed 13 games in October/November – and a 17-game goal drought. But beginning Dec. 11, when he scored his first of the season in Vancouver, he had 32 points (13+19) in 48 games with a plus-27 rating.
The best version of Benson emerged in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when he matched Tage Thompson’s team-leading five goals and added four assists. His typical forechecking effort and persistence on pucks reached another level and drove the Sabres’ offense against the Bruins and Canadiens. Plus, his physical edge and nose for the net made him an irritant for opponents; he drew 11 penalties in the playoffs, third most in the league for the entire postseason.
“He didn't change his game,” Jason Zucker said. “Nothing changed. Just the difference is he scored goals in big moments, and I say that as a huge compliment to him. He plays that way every single game. He's tough to play against. He works incredibly hard. He makes great plays. He's around the net all the time.”
Some more Benson numbers:
- Including the playoffs, the 2025-26 Sabres went 12-2-3 when Benson scored a goal and 32-3-4 when he had a point.
- During Benson’s even-strength minutes in the playoffs, the Sabres outscored their opponents 12-6 and controlled 61 percent of the expected goals (Natural Stat Trick).
- Benson has 101 career regular season points (34+67), the sixth most in Sabres history before turning 21 (his birthday was May 12).
Benson has also become a central figure in the locker room and a fan favorite in Buffalo. That, combined with his performance to date and his potential as a top-line regular, made him a priority for the Sabres as he became a UFA this summer.
“I see him as a true core piece that fills all the boxes,” general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen said in May. “… I can’t say enough good things about Zach Benson. He’s got skill, he’s got hockey sense, he’s got instincts, he’s relentless, he’s a competitor. What a great playoff he had and, again, I’m so excited about the level that he can get to, still. … Just wait until he becomes the big, strong man that we’re going to be pushing him to get to.”
