Benson quick to impress

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This article was published 30/03/2021 (1682 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The 2021 WHL season has been touted as a development year for the WHL’s 22 teams.

Without a league title to pursue, GMs have taken it to heart and loaded their rosters with young players — a boatload of 16-year-olds and, in a few special cases, players in their 15-year-old seasons.

One of those uber-talented youngsters, B.C. phenom Connor Bedard, was destined to demand a lot of attention. He was granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada to play major-junior hockey a year early after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Regina Pats.

Bedard, a centre, has taken the WHL’s East Division hub by storm with seven goals and 17 points in his first nine games, but another less heralded B.C. product, left-winger Zach Benson of the Winnipeg Ice, has also been making a name for himself with his dazzling play. 

The Chilliwack product, drafted 14th overall by the Ice in 2020, has posted some impressive numbers with three goals and seven points in nine games. His work ethic and savvy have virtually guaranteed him a spot in the lineup for the duration of the hub.

Benson had modest expectations when he joined the team.

“I didn’t really know where I’d fit or anything about that because I haven’t been around the team at all,” he said via Zoom from Regina Tuesday afternoon. “I couldn’t go to training camp so I kind of just came here with the attitude to work hard and see what happens from that…

“Coming here to the bubble that was my plan the whole time. I really thought I’d just come here to be practising with the team and get to know everyone leading into the next year.”

Without having seen Benson play live, head coach James Patrick had no plans to fast track the young prospect. After all, Benson stands 5-7 and 150 pounds and if you didn’t know better, you’d swear he was three or four years younger.

“The first day of practice when we had been quarantined for two weeks and no one had skated for two weeks and a lot of guys hadn’t skated for over a month because of the lockdowns in their arenas, he was the best player on the ice,” said Patrick. “He was a smaller guy who’s a really good skater. We all said, ‘Holy smokes, can he skate.'” 

In workouts, Patrick came to realize Benson was already an accomplished penalty killer. In his second career game, Benson showcased his offensive skill set, earning an assist on Anderson MacDonald’s first of the season and moments later, scoring his first goal after a long pass from defenceman Mike Ladyman.

“I was pretty excited to be on the ice for a goal for and then when it was kind of late shift, my D-man was at the blue-line and I saw him go for a change so I just hollered for the puck and we had a partial two-on-one…,” said Benson. “I tried to go high blocker and that’s where it went.”

Patrick’s main reservation now about Benson is a safety concern. He flashes back to the debut season of 2019 No. 1 overall pick Matt Savoie, who was sidelined with a concussion midway through 2019-20 following a textbook open-ice hit from Marcus Sekundiak of the Brandon Wheat Kings. 

“That made us all sick and it made me feel awful that that happened,” said Patrick. “I was just questioning, did I put them out in the right spot?”

With that in mind, Patrick is careful of the matchups. Benson had found chemistry playing on an all-rookie line with centre Conor Geekie and right-winger Chase Bertholet, until the latter suffered an ankle injury. 

“Every day I just have seen more and more from him, but what just stood out is his hockey sense,” said Patrick. “I’ve never seen a 15-year-old being that positionally sound and that good of a stick and his hockey sense. As far as what we’re asking players to do in our system, he’s way ahead of other kids I’ve seen.”

Regina head coach Dave Struch admitted he has the same safety concerns about Bedard, who’s listed at 5-9, 165 pounds.

“We are aware of it and we’re conscious of not putting him out against the wrong guy,” said Struch. “But he’s already taken three, four or five pretty good hits. Not like (the hit) Savoie took, but he’s taken some good hits and he’s bounced back… We’re just aware of it and it’s up to us as coaches to be smart and and protect the player at a young age.”

Struch did not expect the early offensive output from his young star.

“He’s averaging high minutes per game, he’s on our first power play and because of his high minutes he’s playing in all situations and in all areas of the ice,” said Struch. “And I think most importantly for him and for us, he’s playing against the other teams top players and he’s having the success.”

The Ice has faced Bedard once, holding him to one assist in an 8-3 win over the Pats 8-3 on March 23. 

 “I’ve never seen a 15-year-old as good as Connor (Bedard),” said Patrick. “He might be a very, very, very special player. It’s early, but I’m just saying how well he’s played so far in this in this month-long event so far is pretty incredible.”

BLUE-LINES: The WHL announced Tuesday that the Kelowna Rockets have suspended all team activities after a member of the hockey staff tested positive for COVID-19. No players have tested positive at this time. The league, which is working with the provincial health authority, immediately postponed Tuesday’s game between the Rockets and Kamloops Blazers… Winnipeg centre Conor Geekie did not practise Tuesday and may not play Wednesday when the Ice face the Saskatoon Blades. Geekie was checked headfirst into the board during Sunday’s 4-1 win over Moose Jaw. Game time Wednesday is 7 p.m.

 

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14