Benak’s performance for the Brantford Bulldogs was a welcome sight to Minnesota faithful and fantasy managers alike who took a gamble on the diminutive forward in their drafts. Benak was a force on the Bulldogs, scoring 28 goals and adding 49 assists for 77 points in 48 regular season games and putting up a line of 3-8-11 in 15 playoff games. While captain Jake O’Brien (Seattle) upcoming top-five draft pick Caleb Malholtra and league scoring leader Marek Vanacker (Chicago) certainly got most of the attention, the feisty Benak sat directly behind them in point production with fewer games played.

If you had Adam Benak being tied for the OHL scoring lead 19 games in to the 2025-2026 season when Minnesota took him in the fourth round this summer, you would certainly be in the minority. Minority or otherwise, it is absolutely the case, as Benak is tied with teammate Jake O’Brien who went 94 picks before him in the draft. The Brantford Bulldogs are off to an incredible 15-0-3-1 record, and Benak has been a huge part of that. He has played in 17 games and sits with nine goals and 22 assists.

Make no mistake, Benák is a playmaker. He also skates like the wind and is able to create numerous opportunities for his teammates, no matter how small the window may be. However, Benák does have some physical development ahead of him, which may have been one of the reasons he slipped to the fourth round. He stands at just 5-8, 163 pounds that makes board play and net-front maneuvers harder. That being said, his 42 assists, tied for second in the entire USHL, is nothing to scoff at. There is real potential that Benák could be an impact playmaker for the Wild in the future. Minnesota hopes to see him progress up their organization in the coming years.

Selected 102nd overall, Adam Benak is now a member of the Minnesota Wild.

Combining burning speed, high-end vision, and a headiness and maturity beyond his years, Benak has been able to find offensive success at every level he’s played. With 3 assists in 3 playoff games, Benak wrapped up what has been a decently productive season at the USHL level (17 goals and 59 points in 56 games) and a productive year internationally (7 goals and 24 points in 12 games). Nevertheless, at 5-7 and lacking a consistent defensive game, as well as high-end scoring ability and dynamism, there is reason to question Benak’s path to the NHL.—Luke Sweeney

DRAFTPRO – 2024 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW – CZECHIA

#9 F Adam Benak, Czechia, 5’7” 152. L. 10-04-2007 An underage forward that plays with explosive speed, Benak played on the top forward line for Czechia and finished tied for the most points on the team. Benak’s short skating stride allows him to reach full speed in minimal strides. He possesses break away speed with an elusive first step, he builds up speed through his windup at the start of his turn and by the time he completes the turn and gathers the puck he has reached maximal speed. Listed at 5’7” 152 lbs, he struggled with overcoming physicality, defenders were able to close down the gap on him quickly and erase him from the play through body positioning. Defenders were able to box him out in the corners and use their body to protect the puck. For a smaller player with quick speed, Benak showed higher levels of compete compared to others on his team, he supported his teammates in board battles and dropped low in the defensive end to take away passing lanes in front of the net. He has silky hands, made nice saucer passes to teammates in traffic, with his skillset, when he adds more muscle to his body, his passing ability and coordination should improve. He is not afraid to let shots go from distance, he scored his lone goal of the tournament by shooting a puck on net from distance and outworking his opponent to collect his own rebound. Benak finished the tournament with one goal and two assists. As an underager Benak played top line minutes for his team, played on the top power play unit and was put on the ice in crucial situations for his team. Benak will be a vital returning piece offensively for Czechia next season in his draft year at the 2025 IIHF U18-World Hockey Championship.

DRAFTPRO – 2023 FALL INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT REVIEW

#17 F, Adam Benak, Czechia, 5’7, 157, L, DOB 04.10.2007 Adam Benak is a can’t miss player whenever he is on the ice. He is one of the fastest players I have ever seen at the junior level. He goes from a standstill to top speed in a hurry. His agility is also top tier. His skating style reminds me of Nathan MacKinnon, a pretty good player in the NHL. He is an offensive threat at all times. Once his team gets possession of the puck, he bolts at full speed to become a passing option. With the puck, he backs off defenders with speed. He shoots the puck hard for a small guy. His playmaking ability is even stronger than his scoring touch. His hockey IQ is extremely strong, as he always knows where the right spot is on the ice. The only question with Benak is his size. He is 5’7 and 157 pounds. For his sake, I hope he grows to be able to handle the physical demands of pro hockey. Benak is touted as a top prospect for the 2025 NHL draft, and for good reason. – Andreus Kostopoulos

2024 NHL DRAFT – DRAFTPRO 2023 SUMMER INTERNATIONAL EVENT REVIEW

Adam Benak, C, Czechia, 5’6”, 140, L, 2025 NHL Draft eligible. At just 16 years of age, Benak has already defined himself as the best player of Czechia. Every time he is on the ice, he is the definition of a wizard with the puck. He has such strong lateral movement to the point it allows him to squeeze through not one but two defenders, even along the boards. His puck skills are at an elite level as his hands have a quite some silk to them. His soft touch passing abilities are world class to the point where even if there are 3-4 players screening him, he will still somehow thread the needle through a giant crowd. He has strong anticipation and in-game reads which he then uses his lightning speed to his advantage. Benak still has to improve his physique by building a bit more muscle, but he no doubt about it is going to be a force to be reckoned with for 2025 NHL draft. – Tyler Ballesteros-Willard

Benak is listed at 5-8, 163 pounds, and though smaller players are certainly no longer a rarity in the NHL, adding some size will help his chances of making and sticking in the NHL, and given he just turned 19, there’s still a chance for that. Despite all that is made of his stature- author of this piece included- he had no fear being a thorn in Gabriel Eliasson’s side during Brantford’s playoff loss to the Barrie Colts.

According to Instat, Benak was 20th in zone entries in the OHL, despite at least ten fewer games played than most ahead of him, and he was also fourth in net-expected goals, suggesting that the Bulldogs were far more likely to be expected to score when Benak was on the ice than off.

Benak will head to the NCAA in the fall after raising his profile in the OHL, and we can keep our eyes on how he maintains his upward trajectory.

There’s a lot of runway between the hot start as an OHL rookie and being a useful fantasy asset at the NHL level, but he is an absolute add and stash if he has somehow gone unclaimed in your league. Enjoy the ride as he boosts his stock, and if you don’t have the need, room or patience to wait for him, flip him while he is hot. He is a great player, but he’s likely due to cool off soon.

Final Rankings – It wouldn’t be crazy to call Benak the draft’s most purely skilled player, or to say that he has among the most mature playstyles. Unfortunately, his size and strength are big impediments.—