Scouting Report
EVALUATED 02/08/2023
Chase Allen
Regional Scout- USA
Our final and top player from the Select 16s Camp turns out to be Niles Benson, draft pick of the Green Bay Gamblers and Kitchener Rangers. Benson was all over the ice in all sorts of situations seemingly at every opportunity. A well-rounded skater in every sense, he could change direction quickly with the puck, create separation through quick hands and feet, each crossover and stride laying large amounts of power down into the ice propelling him up ice. He was incredibly crafty when handling the puck, slipping it under and through defenders in neutral zone traffic and as he gained the offensive blueline he easily got around opposition and continued his momentum onwards setting up teammates with quick passes that matched his pace. He really drove play from the standpoint of he was the one with the puck more often than not, and funneled the puck to dangerous areas of the ice with great accuracy and timing, showing off some strong vision and passing talent. Defensively he was probably one of the best the camp had to offer on top of his strong offensive game. He played tight to puck carriers, landing accurate and disciplined stick checks, forcing the puck free and pouncing on loose pucks and quickly transitioning up ice. His attention to detail, awareness of the backdoor and anything that was going on outside of his immediate field of few games him this sixth sense regarding defensive positioning, making him great at anticipating play and shutting down chances. There wasn’t one particular play or skill that made Benson stand out, but consistent, strong, and responsible hockey each and every game made him such a reliable force that made a difference every time he stepped onto the ice.
Scouting Report
EVALUATED 10/04/2023
Jordan Malette
Regional Scout- Ontario
Benson was the most consistently involved forward on TPH. He generated tremendous acceleration through his crossovers that Niles relied on to attack the middle of the ice. Similarly, on a few occasions, Niles used his quick first few steps to beat defenders wide and gain separation to the exterior. While flying at top speeds, Benson used slick moves with the puck to skirt and evade defenders to maintain possession and extend plays into the offensive zone. In addition, Benson was a prolific passer, using smart touch passes to advance play up the ice.
Scouting Report
EVALUATED 23/11/2022 Chase Allen
Regional Scout- USA
A very intelligent puck distributer, Niles Benson executes both the simple play with the puck along with the high danger flashy play with the puck just about equally as well. Quick to make decisions, he wastes no time in moving the puck to keep defenders on their toes. One play he found himself with the puck downlow and quickly shot off a tape-to-tape pass to a teammate in the slot before the defenders took away the lane, leading to a goal for the Sabres. It seemed difficult for defenders to take away Benson’s space, as he would either elude them with some good edgework coupled with stickhandles, or just send the puck off to an open teammate. His shot was also heavy, powerful, and accurate, making him just as good a shooter as he is a playmaker.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 12/08/2023
Donesh Mazloum
Regional Scout- Western Canada
Benson had a solid if unspectacular tournament for the Americans. At times he showed flashes of high-end offence with the potential to create something out of nothing however that was often offset with long stretches where he struggled to make much of an impact. His tools in a vacuum are at a high level, especially his handles. He demonstrated the ability to pull the puck through bodies for highlight reel dangles and he knows how to find space for himself under pressure. He is also a plus passer and has the vision to dictate play when he has possession. His skill seems to point to a player who would be leaned on for offence however there are a couple factors holding Benson back. He lacks size and strength and despite his willingness to go to tough areas he struggles to get inside positioning. His average skating stride does not help as he cannot use pace to offset his size deficiencies. The result is some very nice moments but not a ton of sustained pressure placed on the opposition.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 12/07/2023 Jordan Malette
Regional Scout- Ontario
White struggled to create offence in this game, but Benson seemed to always be in the mix when they did have chances. For many shifts, Royal Blue didn't have an answer for Benson. He used high-end skill moves to evade defenders all game long and could access the dangerous parts of the ice almost at will. Once he got the puck in his defensive third, he exploded up ice by oncoming forecheckers, used lateral cuts, and slick dekes to dodge, skirt, and evade any obstacle in his path. After blazing through the neutral zone, Niles was a threat to attack the middle of the ice or connect on impressive passes through tight gaps to teammates in shooting positions. The best sequence of Benson in this game featured Niles exploding by a defender to the outside, using his size advantage to protect the puck, cut to the net, and tuck the puck around the goalie. Off the puck, he was hovering around the offensive zone, looking to find open space. Through his knack for finding open space, Benson tallied a late third-period goal to bring White within one with a near tap-in from the side of the net. Benson has been having a great week and has become one of the few recurring themes across all three of our scouts' reports.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 11/07/2023 Jordan Malette
Regional Scout- Ontario
There's a handful of players at this event who I was already familiar with entering the PDC, and Benson is in that category after being a standout at the OHL Cup. Niles used plenty of skill moves through this game to navigate through defenders and create space for himself to operate. He was evasive all over the ice, winning lanes to the net and creating chances all through his slick puck skills. Especially in the offensive zone along the boards, Benson was a challenge to defend as he was frequently operating with complete control and successfully driving the slot. Finally, I appreciated his movements on the powerplay. He was constantly in motion with and without the puck, which moved the defence out of position and created chances for himself and those around him. There was one notable play when Benson perfectly timed a route into the slot to be in the right place at the exact moment required to be open for a slot pass from his defender.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 10/07/2023 Chase Allen
Regional Scout- USA
In my eyes Niles Benson didn’t have as an impressive performance as he did in game 1 for Team White, but still put on a solid showing in this one to warrant another mention. He was sound positionally on the penalty kill, getting his stick in the way of shooting lanes, blocking shots, and being quick to be first to pucks to clear them out of the defensive zone. In the neutral zone when playing without the puck he shadowed the puck carrier well, whacking and prodding at the puck with powerful stick checks, life wasn’t easy when Benson was orbiting you in this one. He picked up a goal on the powerplay, carving out some ice for himself as he one-timed a Shayne Gould centering pass past the goaltender. Shortly after he had another solid one-timer look from the slot that was stopped, but the trend of Benson finding soft-ice in coverage in dangerous areas was prevalent.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 09/07/2023 Chase Allen
Regional Scout- USA
Oddly enough, the two highest game rating scores come from the team that lost handily, this time the player being Niles Benson. I’ve seen Benson play a few times in the past, but never had I seen him this dominant with speed, power, and finesse. I noticed early on he often managed to just overpower defenders while remaining in control of the puck. He’d get in close proximity to the man, they’d attempt to take the body by shoving and pushing, and he’d simply manage to slip by them in control and walk into the slot or such and get a good look at the net. All around the puck on the forecheck as well, he hounded puck carriers with an aggressive stick and angled them off perfectly, intercepting passes as well, he got a Grade-A chance that resulted in a goal for his teammate, creating a rebound that was banged home. His shot itself has some nice kick to it, lots of torque and power through the shaft, the puck pops off his blade with a velocity capable of beating goaltenders cleanly with. The biggest improvement I’d say I noticed from Benson in this game opposed to prior, is that he is a much quicker skater, he spends little time getting going, his crossovers and controlled and fast, and he just applies so much pressure to defenders as he barges his way into the offensive zone.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 21/07/2022
Joel Henderson
Director of Scouting
Niles was one of the most dynamic players throughout this game by implementing drop passes between his legs, drag moves in tight twice in a row to dangle left of the defenders, and using weaving patterns to open up space in transition. At times, he would try and force some passes into the slot areas but overall it was a great game for the soft handed, wide reached forward.
Player Card
- All Data is derived via 5v5 per 60 minutes rate displayed in percentile format.
- Data Courtesy of In Slat.
COMMITTED:
Harvard
09/08/2023
SIGNED:
Muskegon Lumberjacks
26/06/2025
TEAM PREDICTION
-
Harvard
Confirmed
100%
TIMELINE
- 2025
26/06/2025
Niles Benson is traded to the Muskegon Lumberjacks
- 2025
07/05/2025
Niles Benson is traded to the Omaha Lancers
- 2024
01/07/2024
Niles Benson commits to the Green Bay Gamblers
- 2023
01/09/2023
Niles Benson commits to the Buffalo Jr. Sabres
- 2023
09/08/2023
Niles Benson commits to Harvard
- 2023
02/05/2023
Green Bay Gamblers select Niles Benson in the USHL Futures Draft
- 2023
22/04/2023
Kitchener Rangers select Niles Benson in the OHL Priority Selection
