GRIT & GF
Zach Benson

Buffalo Sabres, Left wing

Zach Benson

  • Two-way
  • Play-driver
  • Stingy
Points, 2026–27
6
0 G, 6 A in 9 GP
Individual xG
3.6
0 goals from it
Ice time per game
19:52
19 shots on goal
xGF% at 5v5
64.2
share of chances while he's on

Zach Benson has 0 goals and 6 assists (6 points) in 9 games for the Buffalo Sabres in 2026–27, with 19 shots on goal and 19:52 of ice time a game. His Grit & GF rating for 2026–27 is 97.0 out of 100, provisional until he has 15 to 20 games.

9 games in. The methodology requires 15 to 20 games to be accurate, so this season's rating still leans on the league average for his position and will move.

GRIT & GF

97.0050100
Rated above 96% of forwards
Goals above average
+1.1
Wins
+0.19
Physicality75thGF96thIntimidation99thChemistry95thClutch50th

Where the rating comes from

Weight × score in standard deviations. They sum to +1.11, which the normal curve turns into the rating.

Your weights

Under these weights he ranks above 95.8% of 402 rated players

The default weights are our call. Set your own; they get rescaled to add up to 100%.

Intimidation

+2.02 SD · 99th percentile · weight 11% · +0.3 goals

How the other team plays when he is on the ice, compared with when he is off it in the same games, at 5-on-5.

  • Chances suppressedxGA per 60, off minus onPositive means opponents create less with him on the ice.0.1495th pct
  • Opponents' hits suppressedper 60, off minus onPositive means opponents finish fewer checks with him out there.3.3199th pct

Percentiles are against 402 rated forwards in 2026-27, on 126 minutes of his 5-on-5 time. Hits, blocks and takeaways count toward the rating and are worth zero goals until a study shows otherwise. Model grit-0.5.

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Zach Benson's Grit & GF card
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Game notes

Written the morning after from the night's stats, for games where he did something worth a sentence.

  1. vs DAL

    Wednesday, April 15

    Ice time

    Zach Benson played 24:22, about 9 minutes more than his average this season. That makes 5 straight games with a point. The Sabres fell 4-3 to the Stars in a shootout.

  2. at NYR

    Wednesday, April 8

    Two goals

    Zach Benson scored twice. That was his 12th goal of the season. He played 12:59 and had three shots on goal. It finished 5-3 for the Sabres.

  3. vs BOS

    Wednesday, March 25

    Streak

    Zach Benson has scored in 3 straight games. That was his tenth goal of the season. The Sabres fell 4-3 to the Bruins in overtime.

  4. at VAN

    Thursday, December 11

    Drought over

    Zach Benson scored for the first time in 34 games. His goal stood up as the winner. He has 1 goal this season. The Sabres beat the Canucks 3-2.

  5. at MTL

    Monday, October 20

    Volume

    Zach Benson had 7 shots on goal, his most in a game since 2023-24. His average this season was 2.0. The Sabres lost 4-2 to the Canadiens.

  6. vs OTT

    Wednesday, October 15

    Big night

    Four points for Zach Benson: four assists. It was his first game of the season. He played 16:52 and had two shots on goal. The Sabres beat the Senators 8-4.

Player card

Percentile among 378 forwards with enough games this season. 50 is the median.

Scoring

  • Ice time per game19:52
    89
  • Points per 602.01
    55
  • Goals per 600.00
    11
  • Individual xG per 601.21
    80
  • Shots per 606.4
    53

5-on-5 play

  • xG for per 60, on ice3.40
    90
  • xG against per 60, on ice1.89
    87
  • xGF%64.2%
    96

Physical

  • Hits per 604.4
    52
  • Blocks per 602.0
    44
  • Penalty minutes per 602.7
    26

Skating and shooting

NHL EDGE puck and player tracking, 2026–27. Percentiles are the league's, against all skaters.

Skating

  • Top speed21.0 mph
    23
  • Bursts over 20 mph8
    40
  • Distance skated29 mi
    96

Shooting

  • Hardest shot79.1 mph
    44
  • Shots on goal18
    80
  • Shooting %0.0%
    13

Zone time

  • Offensive zone time46.5%
    88
  • Offensive zone time, even strength45.3%
    93

Who he plays with

His most-used linemates at 5-on-5 this season, with what happened while they were out together.

LinematesGamesTOIShot attemptsxGGoalsxG share
Jack Quinn, Noah Ostlund995:37111–545.6–2.86–166%
Josh Doan, Noah Ostlund710:3412–110.4–0.50–144%
Josh Norris, Jack Quinn73:056–30.4–0.10–183%
Ryan McLeod, Jack Quinn92:368–00.4–0.00–0100%
Tage Thompson, Noah Ostlund42:183–10.2–0.00–093%

Where he shoots from

His unblocked shots this season, attacking right. 0 goals from 35 attempts.

GoalShot or miss

Last 20 games

Columns are his individual expected goals, the quality of his own chances. Dots are goals he scored.

ixGGoal
0.000.250.500.75
04-2310-17

By season

SeasonGPGAPSOGixGTOI/GPHitsBlkxGF% 5v5
2026–279066193.619:5213664.2
2025–266513304311617.215:53403254.3
2024–257510182812014.714:49354653.7
2023–24711119309814.614:31354551.9

Last 20 games

DateTOIGASOGixGHitsBlkPIM
2026-10-1721:170130.53012
2026-10-1521:180240.36102
2026-10-1319:360110.11310
2026-10-1219:400120.59010
2026-10-1019:540010.20210
2026-10-0818:180040.56200
2026-10-0620:410020.67002
2026-10-0319:330010.24312
2026-10-0118:340110.34210
2026-05-1824:070020.19002
2026-05-1620:041160.591310
2026-05-1421:040010.140110
2026-05-1214:211010.35120
2026-05-1018:070030.681112
2026-05-0819:251010.09402
2026-05-0616:560210.19200
2026-05-0116:471110.26112
2026-04-2814:300020.41000
2026-04-2613:251030.472012
2026-04-2316:310010.20100