The season for both the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres can be considered a major success, as both clubs advanced to the Stanley Cup Playoffs on an eventual collision course toward one another in the Eastern Conference Semifinal.
For the Canadiens, it was their second straight trip to the postseason after multiple years of finishing on the outside looking in. Meanwhile, the Sabres returned to the postseason for the first time since 2011, and also won the division for the first time since the days of Ryan Miller, Chris Drury, and Daniel Briere in 2007.
It would be the Habs who eventually advanced to the Eastern Conference Final with a thrilling Game 7 overtime victory over the Sabres in Buffalo. But during the series, Montreal fans made an indelible impression on Buffalo’s Zach Benson.
Sabres Forward Zach Benson Shares Unfiltered Thoughts On Montreal Canadiens Fans
During the series, Sabres players got a first hand look at the passion of Habs fans as evidenced by what Zach Benson had to say about being in Montreal during the playoffs.
“Montreal was incredible,” Benson said. “I woke up at 3:00 AM to hear “Ole” chants in the streets. The ice was literally vibrating during the national anthem.”
Benson, taken with the 13th overall pick by the Sabres in the 2013 NHL Draft, was recently re-signed to a seven-year, $52.5 million deal to keep him with the organization through the 2032-33 NHL season.
He also disclosed that he’s already having second thoughts on what was his first major purchase after signing his new deal – a luxury vehicle.
“No, no, no Lambos, no Ferraris,” he said. “I actually, I bought a Porsche Cayenne, so I got a new whip. Nice. I don’t know. It’s a waste of money, I don’t need that.”
Zach Benson Was A Key Performer For The Sabres In The Postseason
During the playoffs, Benson scored five goals with four assists in 13 games, as many as teammate Tage Thompson scored.
“He didn’t change his game,” teammate 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.”
Meanwhile, Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who took over for the terminated Kevyn Adams in mid-December, said that a player like Benson “fills all the boxes”.
“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.”
So far in his NHL career, Benson has tallied 34 goals with 67 assists in 211 games.
Sabres’ Zach Benson Doesn’t Hold Back On Canadiens Fans