Freshly drafted sensation Zach Benson is on the Buffalo Sabres’ roster to start the 2023-24 season after he recorded four goals and eight points in six preseason games. It’s unclear at this point if the 18-year-old is simply up for a test drive or if he’ll remain with the team for an extended period. The Sabres have nine games to return him to Wenatchee of the WHL before the first year of his entry-level contract begins.
There’s no questioning that Benson earned his spot on the roster, but his inclusion casts aside a minor leaguer who appeared to have a good chance in his own right. Brandon Biro made it to the final round of preseason roster cuts but ultimately found himself sent back to the Rochester Americans of the AHL, where he’s been highly impressive over the last two years. Will this be the year that he finally gets the NHL call-up that he’s deserving of?
Biro Has Carried Rochester
Since being signed by the Sabres as a free agent following a very successful NCAA career with the Penn State Nittany Lions, Biro has been with the Americans and has become their most consistent player. Injuries have hampered him significantly, but he’s scored prolifically despite that, putting up 97 points in 112 games since arriving at the end of the 2020-21 season.
His performances have caught the attention of the Sabres previously, and he received a brief call-up during the 2021-22 campaign when they were being hit heavily by the injury bug. However, it was a move made out of necessity, not merit, and it proved to be short-lived. The then-23-year-old made his NHL debut on Feb. 23 against the Montreal Canadiens and logged 13:30 of ice time before being promptly sent back down afterward. He helped the Amerks reach the North Division Final that spring.
This past season saw a change, however. Biro took it to another level and scored 51 points in 49 games despite missing significant time yet again due to a lower-body injury. He eventually needed surgery to correct the issue and was on the sideline for the entirety of Rochester’s stirring playoff run. The team managed to reach the Eastern Conference Final without him but floundered against the eventual Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears and fell in six games. It’s safe to assume that the results may have been different had their top star been in the lineup.
Sabres Takes Notice
The Sabres were not oblivious to Biro’s impressive campaign, but the injury prevented him from getting the opportunity he earned himself.
“Brandon’s a guy that we had watched quite a bit,” Sabres head coach Don Granato said to The Olean Times Herald. “We had talked a lot last year about him being called up, and, unfortunately, injuries took him out of it a few times.”
The opportunity was kept on the table, however, and he wasn’t about to let it pass him by. He was included on Buffalo’s preseason roster and played very well himself, scoring a goal and two assists in five games in addition to the shootout-deciding goal that lifted the Sabres over the Washington Capitals on Sept. 24.
It seemed that he may have been a candidate to fill the spot vacated by Jack Quinn due to his Achilles injury, but Benson’s torrid showing eliminated any chance of that happening. He was waived on Sunday and returned to the Amerks, with Riley Stillman and Kale Clague also sent down (from “Sabres’ Riley Stillman, Kale Clague, Brandon Biro to join Amerks after clearing waviers”, The Buffalo News, 10/8/23). His chances with the Sabres shouldn’t be over just yet, though.
With their youth movement now in full swing, the Sabres look poised to begin incorporating their numerous young talents, and a few players will likely receive a trial run this year in addition to Benson. It appeared as if 2022 first-round pick Matthew Savoie would have started the season in Buffalo as well, but he fell victim to a shoulder injury and was placed on the injured reserve list Monday. Classmate Jiri Kulich took the AHL by storm last season at age 18 with 24 goals and 46 points in 62 games and is all but guaranteed to get brought up as well.
But though he hasn’t garnered as much attention, Biro is every bit as deserving of a chance to play at the NHL level, and the Sabres need to grant him such. The undrafted winger has served his time in the minors and shown that he has the tools to succeed at the NHL level. And if Granato’s words were true, he should still be in consideration for a promotion. It would simply be foolish for the team to not evaluate all the tools at its disposal.
The Edmonton native’s excellent handling makes him a natural scorer, but his game has always leaned toward playmaking. He’s frequently been a catalyst for his Rochester teammates, with 64 assists in 97 games over the last two seasons. But regardless of which he chooses to focus on, he’d fit seamlessly with Buffalo’s high-powered attack and could help give a boost to the bottom six alongside former Amerk teammate Peyton Krebs.
Sabres Need To Give Biro a Shot
This season is the last of the two-year contract extension Biro signed in July 2022, and he could see fit to leave for better opportunities if it becomes clear that he’s not a part of the Sabres’ plans going forward. Minor league success doesn’t always carry over to the NHL, but based on everything we’ve seen from him to this point, the Sabres would be making a big mistake by not giving him a chance to show what he’s made of.
Related: Zach Benson Makes the Sabres’ Roster Much Better
Despite not being able to remain healthy for a full season to this point, Biro has dazzled for the Amerks, who rewarded his efforts on Wednesday by naming him an alternate captain. He’s scored at a nearly point-per-game pace the last two seasons, and with him onboard once again, the Amerks will have their sights set firmly on the Calder Cup. They open their season on Friday (Oct. 13) at home against the Bridgeport Islanders.
