Just Who Is Tyler Benson?

Fans of the Edmonton Oilers, may I introduce to you Mr. Tyler Benson?

Birthplace: Edmonton, Alberta
Age: 18
Shoots: Left
Position: Left Wing
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 201 lbs.

Leading up to this year’s NHL Draft, Benson was ranked 18th by Corey Pronman, 39th by Bob McKenzie, and 44th by Craig Button. Benson was eventually taken by the Oilers in the second round with the 32nd overall pick.

Benson wasn’t expected to be drafted quite so high. (Pronman’s ranking was by far the highest for Benson.) So was this another second round blunder by the Oilers?

Benson was selected by the Vancouver Giants as the first overall selection in the 2013 WHL Draft. Benson didn’t disappoint in his first season with the Giants, registering 14 goals and 31 assists in 62 games.

However, Benson’s 2015-16 season didn’t go as hoped. Before the season began, the left winger required surgery to remove a cyst near his tailbone. Benson ended up appearing in only 30 games, tallying 9 goals and 19 assists.

Check out some highlights of Benson’s 2015-16 in the video below:

Benson’s 2015-16 point total appears disappointing, but it’s actually better if you consider three facts.

First, Benson was playing at less than 100% health when he returned from injury. (See Pronman’s quote below.)

Second, he was on a low scoring team. Points don’t come as easily when you’re on a team that doesn’t produce many goals. (Duh!)

And, third, many of his points were of the primary and even-strength variety. According to Lowetide, Benson’s “.700 even-strength points-per-game ranks him No. 2 among (first time) 2016 draft-eligible WHL forwards…. His .567 primary even-strength points-per-game ranks him No. 2 among (first time) 2016 draft-eligible WHL forwards.”

Here’s Corey Pronman’s scouting report on Benson:

A former elite prospect for many years, Benson’s season was upended from several injuries to his lower body and back. Even when he was playing, he was at 50 percent at the best of times. Benson has great instincts, constantly finding seams to get the puck to his teammates or on net. “He never wows you,” said one scout, “but he’s always around the puck, making a good play.” Benson is a quality defensive forward with great work ethic in battles and solid overall positional play. He doesn’t shy away from throwing a hit and is strong on the puck. His skating isn’t superb, but I thought it was decent prior to this season, with the injuries probably accentuating the issues. He has the tools to be a top-six forward in the NHL, but there are big risk factors attached to making him a first-round pick as well. I’m banking on a recovery and a return to top form next season, but he’s clearly one of this class’ biggest wild cards.

The Oilers are hoping that they bought low on a prospect who was once projected to be a mid-first found pick. Here’s hoping for a healthy and productive 2016-17 for Benson.

If you’d like to read more about Benson, I’d recommend the following articles:

Eyes on the Prize, “Tyler Benson Is One of This Year’s Wildcards”
OilersNation, “How Good Is Tyler Benson?”
The Hockey Writers, “Did the Edmonton Oilers Steal Tyler Benson?”
Cult of Hockey, “Why I Am Bullish on Tyler Benson”

And if you’d like to follow Benson on social media, you can do so on Twitter and Instagram.