NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Tyler Benson

Get to Know Tyler Benson

Date of Birth: 3/15/1998
Place of Birth: Edmonton, AB, CAN
Ht: 5’11” Wt: 196 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Left Wing
Team (League): Vancouver Giants (WHL)

Statistics

What Scouts See

The Draft Analyst:

Benson is very shifty with tremendous balance, meaning he can continue to move if he gets hit at the same time he decides to change direction. Possessing the kind of vision and IQ he owns makes it no surprise the CHL came close to giving him “exceptional” status to play a full season as a 15 year old (cut short by a knee injury).

Last Word on Sports:

A natural goal scorer, Benson can hurt the opposition in a variety of ways.  As mentioned he has a hard and accurate wrist shot with a good release. He also has a very good one-timer. He is also willing to stand in front of the net and take punishment to get tip ins and rebounds. Benson does well in protecting the puck in the cycle game. His excellent lower body strength gives him good balance, and he has the frame to protect the puck in battles.

What BSN Avalanche sees

Benson is an all-around star in the making. When healthy and going right, he’s a dynamic offensive talent with great vision and a non-stop motor. It’s hard to judge his draft season performance because he battled injuries but he’s a good skater who has excellent strength and hands around the net. He can play a powerful game but also has the patience and vision to succeed in more of a finesse manner. He’s a do-it-all player who will be drafted much later than his talent would normally dictate.

Injuries, injuries, injuries. A myriad of issues throughout the season, and to a lesser extent his career, have sapped Benson of some of the greatness he displayed when he was younger. The real question is whether or not Benson can overcome his problems and realize the significant potential he still has. There are questions about his goal-scoring and his offense, in general, translating to the NHL but first and foremost is the injury question.

Highlights

NHL Potential

If Benson figures out the injury issues, he could be the steal of this draft class. He could be anything from a sad tale of “what if?” in regards to his injury issues or he could be a legit star in the NHL. The truth is likely somewhere in between where he ends up a good player but not quite living up to the potential he once had.

Expected Draft Position

He began the season as a top-flight prospect but serious injuries throughout the year slowed his draft momentum and dropped his stock into the bottom half of the first round. A smart team in the second half of the first will roll the dice on Benson’s enormous upside.

How Prospect Fits in Avalanche Organization

Benson would have to fall to the Avalanche at 40 in order to become an Av. Should that happen, it’s simply dumb luck and the Avalanche would be foolish to pass on him.