BUFFALO – In late July, Sabres center Josh Norris texted his teammate, Zach Benson, and asked what it would take for him to give up No. 9.
Benson said he thought Norris, who wore No. 13 in his first three games with the Sabres before a torn oblique muscle ended his season, was joking.
“I couldn’t tell if he was serious or not,” Benson said Saturday after throwing out the first pitch before the Bisons game against the Syracuse Mets at Sahlen Field. “I said, ‘Laugh out loud.’”
But Norris was serious. He asked Benson what it would take to pry away the number he sported with the Ottawa Senators and at the University of Michigan.
“Then we just discussed things,” Benson said.
Norris mentioned a watch, but Benson doesn’t like wearing one. Ultimately, they decided in exchange for No. 9, Benson would receive two designer bags – “Some Italian leather,” he said – a deal he said they’re “both happy with.”
“Pretty crazy you sell hockey numbers,” said Benson, who believes he will be given Louis Vuitton items.
Benson will now be sporting No. 6, his regular number until he reached junior hockey. The number, of course, is usually worn by a defenseman. He will become the first forward in franchise history to wear it.
“It was always No. 6,” he said of his number growing up. “Then I got to junior and one of our D-men had No. 6, so I just said, ‘All right, I’ll flip it upside down.’
“It treated me pretty well and I wanted to keep running with it. But, obviously, it’s treated Norry pretty well, too.”
Benson, who turned 20 on May 12, sounds excited to begin his third NHL season later this month.
Two years ago, barely three months after being drafted 13th overall, he impressed the Sabres so much they kept him instead of returning him to the junior Western Hockey League. Now, he has played 146 NHL games.
“Definitely crazy,” he said of his tenure in Buffalo. “I mean, I don’t really think about it like that. I mean, my grandparents will always say that to me.”
Benson, who scored 21 goals and 58 points in his first two years, earned more trust from Sabres coach Lindy Ruff as last season progressed. He spent the final weeks skating at left wing alongside center Jiri Kulich and Tage Thompson on the top line.
“I think Lindy’s, obviously, a phenomenal coach, helped me a ton,” Benson said. “A lot of learning lessons along the way. … I felt I learned a lot last year. I mean, (I) played on the first line, played on the second line, played on the third line, played on the fourth line. So kind of saw everything.”
Benson knows he and the Sabres, who own an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought, must showcase more consistency.
If the Sabres had simply gone about .500 during their 13-game losing streak last season, they likely would’ve been in the postseason chase.
“That ruins a season,” Benson said.
Naturally, he said “the goal is playoffs” this season.
“We still may be younger, but we’re all mature,” he said. “We have a lot of veterans. That stuff can’t happen this year.”
A full training camp should help the Sabres. Last year, Ruff’s first season back in Buffalo, the team lost valuable practice time when it departed for its season-opening European trip in late September.
“I think it’s going to be a lot better,” Benson said of having a regular camp. “It was pretty chaotic last year, I felt like.”
Benson said he spent much of the offseason working out in Vancouver alongside Connor Bedard and Kent Johnson, two budding NHL stars. The youngsters switched their off-ice training to focus on adding more speed.
Instead of commuting from Chilliwack, British, Columbia, Benson stayed in Vancouver, meaning he had a 10-minute drive to the rink.
“This is my first year living in Vancouver,” he said. “I usually made an hour and 45 (minute) trek every day. It’s kind of nice to just be able to drive 10 minutes to the gym, 10 minutes to the rink and 10 minutes home and crush a nap.”
Come for talk on Tre’Davious White and Tyler Bass injuries, Gabe Davis’ return and keys to the #Bills‘ opener against the Ravens, stay for @BillHoppeNHL‘s jersey-number hot takes.https://t.co/7OmW32xtZN
— Nick Sabato (@NickSabatoGNN) September 5, 2025
Finally September. Count down to hockey season. I’ve enjoyed watching Zack develop and deliver. So much hope as a Sabres fan. I hope we crush the season like Zach crushes naps.