Sabres Anchor Their Future
Buffalo Sabres Secure Core Piece Zach Benson with Seven-Year, $52.5 Million Contract Extension
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Key Points
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The Benson deal followed Buffalo's earlier move of trading Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.
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In 211 career NHL games, Benson has 34 goals and 101 points.
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During the 2025-26 season, Benson opened with injuries (missed 13 games in Oct/Nov) and a 17-game goal drought, then rebounded to post 32 points in 48 games after Dec. 11 (13 goals, 19 assists) with a plus-27 rating.
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In the playoffs, Benson matched Tage Thompson’s team-leading five goals and added four assists, and drew 11 penalties, third-most in the league.
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Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekäläinen described Benson as a 'true core piece that fills all the boxes' and noted he and Josh Doan could help fill the leadership void left by Byram and Tuch; he praised Benson’s relentless competitive edge and leadership potential.
The Buffalo Sabres locked up one of their brightest young stars on Thursday, signing 21-year-old forward Zach Benson to a seven-year, $52.5 million contract extension worth $7.5 million per season through the 2032-33 season. Audacy reported the deal just one day after the Sabres traded veteran forward Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals, signaling a clear shift toward youth in Buffalo.
The extension caps a breakout stretch for Benson, who matched team leader Tage Thompson's five playoff goals and added four assists in 13 postseason games. Clutch Points noted the deal prevents Benson from entering restricted free agency on July 1. Benson said, "I want to be in Buffalo. This team believed in me when I was 18, and I'm ready to take that next step as a leader in this room."
Benson Rebounds From Slow Start to Earn Big Payday
Benson's 2025-26 season did not start smoothly. He missed 13 games in October and November with an injury. After returning, he went 17 straight games without a goal. But starting December 11, everything clicked. He posted 32 points in 48 games with a plus-27 rating — 13 goals and 19 assists — to finish the year with 43 points in 65 games, according to BVM Sports.
His playoff run sealed the case for a long-term deal. Benson scored five goals and nine points in 13 games. He also drew 11 penalties — third-most in the entire league, per NHL Stats. Over 211 career NHL games, he now has 34 goals and 101 points. The New York Times called the contract "a steal for the Sabres," noting Benson has yet to play his age-21 season.
Tuch Trade Opens the Door for Benson to Lead
The Benson deal came fast on the heels of Buffalo's trade of Alex Tuch to Washington on Wednesday. The Sabres also dealt defenseman Bowen Byram earlier this offseason. Both moves cleared veterans who had filled leadership roles in the locker room. Now, management is counting on Benson and forward Josh Doan to fill that void, according to Head Top Topics.
GM Jarmo Kekäläinen was direct about his plan. "Zach is a true core piece that fills all the boxes," he said. "His relentless competitive edge and hockey sense are elite. We believe he and Josh Doan are the right players to fill the leadership void left by the departures of Bowen Byram and Alex Tuch." A captain designation for Benson or Doan could come as soon as the 2026-27 season opener.
Analytics Say $7.5M Is a Bargain — Critics Aren't Sure
Some analysts view the deal as a long-term win for Buffalo. Benson's penalty-drawing ability and defensive metrics already rank in the top 10 percent of NHL forwards. The New York Times noted that in two years, this contract could look like a bargain if Benson reaches 60 or 70 points per season. His plus-27 rating over the season's final 48 games supports the case.
But not everyone is on board. Some critics argue the Sabres traded a proven 30-goal scorer in Tuch and a high-upside defender in Byram just to make room for younger, unproven leaders. The concern is that asking a 21-year-old to carry the emotional weight of a franchise with no recent playoff success may be too much, too soon. BVM Sports noted Benson hasn't yet cracked 50 points in a regular season.
Sabres Build Their Core Around Benson Through 2033
Buffalo has now locked up its young core for the long haul. Benson joins Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens as cornerstones signed through the late 2020s and beyond. The Sabres drafted Benson 13th overall in 2023. At just 21 years old, he will be 28 when this deal expires — meaning Buffalo controls his peak years. Audacy confirmed the contract runs through the 2032-33 season.
The team still has cap room to add a veteran defenseman this summer to offset the Byram loss. Kekäläinen's strategy is clear: stop building around aging veterans and bet on younger players with higher ceilings. Benson, whose jersey sales reportedly spiked 40 percent after the announcement, is now the face of that bet.
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