Adam Benak
| C | Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) | 5-7 | 161 lbs |
Skating:
- Straight Line Skating:
Benak is an outstanding skater, it is one of his biggest assets is as a player. His speed is top end and his acceleration is even better. He will have some issues translating to higher levels but his skating is the last thing to be concerned about. This is important, considering how valuable his work rate is to his game. He is one of, if not the top skater in the 2025 NHL draft, both through my eyes and tracked skating data. His mechanics and habits both in the stride and acceleration phase should make it an incredible asset at higher levels as well. He follows through fully in his strides and shifts his weight effectively. He gets very low in his stance, bends his knees enough to keep his knees over his toes, allowing his back and shin angle to be close to parallel. His stride recovery is very efficient and remains under the midline of his body. One thing to note is how explosive he is. His first 3 steps are extremely quick and he uses this to his advantage a lot. It’s also impressive how quickly his changes of direction and speed happen. It makes him very hard to defend, even with defenders who have the angular advantage on the zone entry, because its impossible to know when to step up.
Benak would surely rank very high in speed bursts over 32 km/hr (20mph). His game in many ways, is built on explosiveness. This is a testament to how he creates speed through crossover acceleration, which also gives him directional flexibility. Benak had a high tracked top end speed (85th percentile among all players in my 3 year dataset) in the 3 USHL games I tracked of him this season.
Lateral Skating
Adam Benak’s lateral skating is a standout component of his game, showcasing his ability to maneuver in dynamic, multi-directional patterns. Rarely does he move in a straight line; instead, he’s constantly shifting weight, employing crossover acceleration and varying his pace and path. His quickness in small spaces enables him to burst into acceleration with minimal room, making him one of the most agile skaters among his draft class. Benak’s edgework is refined. He consistently maintains speed through changes in direction. His turns are tight, through initiating rotations with his upper body before his lower body follows, while applying weight to his front foot to sharpen his angle. Mechanically, he’s well-positioned, with a low stance that keeps his knees aligned over his toes, allowing him to generate substantial power from his hips and maintain a strong, stable core. This setup is crucial for his in-motion playmaking, and shooting, enabling him to be an offensive threat while in motion.
He uses his skating to create separation and maneuver through defensive coverage. His transitions are smooth, with quick crossovers that enable him to shift direction efficiently, aiding his offensive zone entries. This has shown with Benak being in the 90th percentile of all USHL forwards (minimum 5 games played via Instat) in EV zone entries via carry despite his team dumping the puck in more than any other team in the USHL.
While his lateral movement is effective, Benak can sometimes get overpowered due to his smaller frame. Improving his lower body strength could enhance his stability and control, allowing him to withstand physical pressure more effectively. Benak’s stride-to-crossover ratio is remarkable, sitting at almost a 2.5:1 ratio in the 3 games I’ve tracked. His stride mechanics allow for efficient speed generation via linear crossovers, amplifying both his velocity and angle of attack with the puck. This capability to build speed through crossover transitions is foundational to his game, making him an unpredictable and highly evasive skater on the ice.
Skills:
Stickhandling
Adam Benak’s stickhandling is electrifying. He’s not afraid to take on defenders directly, using his skill to keep the puck under control even when pressured by bigger and stronger defenders. Benak ranks in the 87th percentile in deke attempts per 60 and the 84th percentile in successful dekes per 60 among USHL players (minimum of five games played, per Instat). Benak always finds himself involved in the play and with the puck on his stick. In loose puck situations he is often hovering the puck which helps him regain possession off rebounds or when he’s out of position. He ranks in the 93rd percentile for puck touches per 60 and the 88th percentile in puck control time per 60, which means he’s not only getting his hands on the puck a lot but also holding onto it longer than most players. With the puck, his upper body is loose, which lets him adjust his angle quickly and throw in head and shoulder fakes and open up space.. He is so quick and shifty which is a big advantage, especially when he is attempting to create passing lanes or his own shot.
Benak’s arsenal of moves is impressive—he has a toolset that’s deep and versatile. From quick lateral shifts to deceptive pulls, he knows how to keep defenders guessing. His fast hands and head fakes and instincts mean he’s good whether in space or not. One area he could work on is keeping his top hand out in front of his body. Right now, he sometimes holds the puck a little too far forward, which can leave him vulnerable to losing it if a defender challenges him, especially at his size. By adjusting his grip, he could have more control around his body and reduce turnovers, something that he’s been prone to so far this season for Youngstown, as he ranks in the 84th percentile among USHL forwards in turnovers per puck touch.
Playmaking
As a playmaker, Benak shows promising foundations but can be inconsistent. He tries to look for high danger passes often and this shows. He sees 8% of his total passes directly leading to a shot on goal—placing him in the 91st percentile among USHL forwards. However, his tendency to force passes into tight slots without a clear target has led to a more modest completion rate of 79.5%, ranking him in the 44th percentile. This pattern of forced passes results in frequent interceptions and missed connections, which limits his effectiveness in congested areas. When given more space and time to process plays, however, Benak’s passing shines. On the power play, he displays impressive efficiency, completing 95% of his passes, a 15% increase over his even-strength rate. With 13% of these passes directed toward the slot—a 10% improvement from even strength—he becomes one of the most dangerous passers in the USHL on the man advantage. This shift highlights his ability to excel when he can slow down and carefully assess his options. This makes sense considering it is his first season playing with less space on North American ice. If he can improve this moving forward it shows major growth potential.
Benak ranks very impressively in total shot assists per 60 minutes. He leads all USHL players with a minimum of 10 games played (per Instat). This is a testament to his natural playmaking instincts and ability to create opportunities for teammates. This has also translated to producing high danger passes, as he ranks in the 95th percentile in the same group in high danger assists. At even strength though this again falls off 32% and 62% respectively indicating room for improvement in making plays in tighter spaces, specifically in creating top-tier scoring opportunities, although some of this is down to how his team plays. His smaller stature may also contribute to his struggles in finding passing lanes through traffic, particularly when attempting to break into central areas from the perimeter and this is a serious concern to his translatability to higher levels moving forward.
He leads the team with 11 primary assists in 19 games, tying for top in the league. Though Benak has room for growth, he’s already proven to be a productive setup man in cycle situations, which accounts for the majority of his primary assists.
Offensive Zone Intelligence
In the offensive zone, Benak makes his presence felt primarily through his off-puck positioning and his aforementioned skating. He can slip into dangerous areas, positioning himself for high-quality chances and is hard to knock off possession. Adam Benak likes to create a volume of chances with the puck, and this expresses itself as despite having a skillset to be a dual threat, he performs better as a playmaker. As a shooter he looks for volume rather than focusing on high-quality opportunities. He’s firing 15.6 shots per 60 minutes in the USHL, with 8.4 hitting the net for a 53.8% accuracy, placing him in the 16th percentile among USHL forwards. This high-volume approach has led to Benak ranking second on the Youngstown Phantoms with 5.8 expected goals so far this season.
Benak’s offensive intelligence shines most in his off-puck positioning, which allows him to slip into high-danger areas, using his strong skating ability to create high-quality looks despite his preference for quantity. His 96th-percentile ranking in shots created off offensive zone cycles per 60 minutes and 93rd-percentile ranking in offensive zone possession showcase his strength in sustaining offensive pressure and puck possession.
Benak’s offensive talent is undeniable—he’s constantly darting in and out of lanes, putting defenders on their heels as he drives into open spaces with speed. These create openings, which his puckhandling, playmaking instincts and shot can capitilize on. The big question with Benak is how his game will translate to higher levels, where he’ll face bigger, stronger, and faster competition. Smaller forwards don’t often make huge impacts in the NHL, and Benak’s style might be harder to pull off then others. For now, he’s an exhilarating offensive player with a skill set that sets him apart in his draft class.
Shot
Adam Benak’s shot is defined by an incredibly fast release, which he can trigger right off the rush or in tight spaces with almost no wind-up. This combination of speed and precision makes his shot unpredictable, giving him a huge edge in beating defenders and catching goalies off guard. His ability to shift from stickhandling to shooting with such fluidity is a rare skill, and it’s almost paralyzing for opponents because they barely have a split second to react.
One of the most impressive things about Benak is his shooting mechanics. His posture is good—he keeps his chest and shoulders directly over the puck, creating a stable base that allows him to load power efficiently into his shot. His hand positioning is also solid, enabling him to maximize his stick's flex without needing a big wind-up. This setup helps him maintain accuracy and velocity, even when he’s firing off quick, in-motion shots. When he shifts his weight from his inside edge, it allows him to change the angle of his release effortlessly, which adds a deceptive element that makes him tough to read, especially on curl-and-drag shots in transition. Despite his size he gets a good amount of power behind his shot.
On the rush, Benak’s shot is especially lethal. His curl-and-drag technique is a signature move—he uses it frequently to keep defenders guessing and to screen the goalie, making it nearly impossible to anticipate where his shot will land. He’s adept with a variety of shot types, from inside- and outside-leg wristers to quick one-timers and catch-and-release shots, all of which he can pull off with the same rapid release. His hands move almost as fast as his feet, so he’s just as dangerous when he gets the puck in stride as he is when setting up for a shot in the slot.
However, while Benak’s shot is a weapon, his shot selection is an area that could use refinement. His stats show that he’s in the 65th percentile for shots on goal per 60 minutes, indicating that he’s a high-volume shooter. Yet, he sits in the 8th percentile for expected goals per shot, which points to the need for better judgement in choosing when and where to take his shots. Right now, his individual expected goals per 60 is in the 43rd percentile, and his goals per 60 is in the 41st percentile. This suggests he has room to improve in turning his high volume into higher-quality scoring chances. Becoming more selective would likely increase his efficiency and make him an even greater scoring threat. Team tactics could affect this however as many Youngstown Phantoms have a similar issue.
Benak’s offensive talent is undeniable—he’s constantly darting in and out of lanes, putting defenders on their heels as he drives into open spaces with speed. His shot is a big part of this and if he can refine his decision making, then his quick hands and fast release give him an ability to capitalize on openings which most players can’t.
Perception:
Tactical Recognitions
The Youngstown Phantoms are having a decent season, sitting at a very respectable 12-7-0 record in the USHL. Doing his part, Adam Benak has played a very important, yet decreasing role for the Phantoms. On the season, he is still logging a team high for forwards of 20:26 per game. This includes 4:01 per game on the power play, a major chunk of special teams time that speaks to his offensive importance. Youngstown relies heavily on Benak’s contributions, as the team struggles with consistent scoring depth beyond him players, currently they are led by 2008-born Jack Hextall. With Benak as their offensive anchor, he’s been critical for the Phantoms' scoring, all but 1 of his points this season have been primary, showcasing in some ways how his point production would likely be much higher with more skilled linemates.
Benak’s impact is especially evident on the powerplay, where Youngstown runs a loosely structured 1-3-1 with Benak stationed on the right side, often positioned to shoot while moving downhill with traffic in front. This configuration has been productive for him, as 39% of his primary points (7 out of 18) have come on the man advantage. Youngstown’s powerplay ranks 6th in the league at a respectable 22.4%, and Benak’s skill in this role has been instrumental to that success.
At even strength, however, the Phantoms’ style has a mixed impact on Benak’s output. Youngstown is highly possession-focused, ranking second in the league for even-strength time of possession and third in Corsi, emphasising sustained offensive zone plays and a deliberate cycle game over quick counter-attacks. While this possession-heavy approach aids puck control and limiting chances against, it has yet to be consistently converted into quality scoring opportunities: Youngstown ranks only 8th in expected goals and 9th in scoring chances. A notable issue is that just 55% of their shot attempts result in shots on goal, placing them second-last in the USHL in this regard.
Youngstown relies on the forecheck at even strength. The Phantoms look to capitalize on turnovers forced in the offensive zone through an aggressive 2-1-2 forecheck. This strategy prioritizes high-pressure puck retrieval, aiming to create opportunities close to the net. Thinking offensively, with Youngstown’s league-leading pass completion rate at 86%, the team has excelled in controlling the play and keeping possession but struggles in transition, ranking 13th in counter-attacks per game. Benak has somewhat adapted to this system, but it's not one that suits his game particularly well, especially in smaller North American rinks. He would benefit from a team that balances possession with one that prioritizes maintaining speed and pace of play and creating quality-driven offensive sequences, that have more open space available before the opponents have a chance to set up defensively.
Speed Perception
Adam Benak is one of the most dynamic players in the 2025 NHL Draft. To play this sort of game he processes the game with remarkable speed, matching the pace he plays at. His quick thinking and decision-making raise his pace of play and allow him to make plays others can’t. Key to his performance is his exceptional pre-scanning ability; Benak constantly scans for opportunities well before receiving the puck. This habit allows him to take his smart offensive routes, which I talked about earlier. Benak’s awareness and intensity remain high throughout his shifts, allowing him to maximize offensive chances from any position on the ice. His mindset is consistently offensive; he’s always looking to create plays and push the pace of the game. At times, Benak’s drive to make things happen can lead to forced plays, particularly when he attempts to squeeze shots or passes through traffic. This trait reflects his aggressive offensive mentality more than any lack of scanning or speed perception. As he matures, he’ll likely adjust his shot selection to improve his decision-making in tight spaces—a skill coaches will expect him to refine at higher levels.
Benak’s potential as a dangerous offensive-minded forward with dual threat value makes him an intriguing prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft. His immediate development should focus on simplifying his game to limit turnovers, and improving his shot selection which would enable him to make the most of his skill set and potentially reach top-six forward status. Gaining strength will be key as well, helping him better handle stronger competition and ease his transition to higher levels. While Benak has shown he can be a valuable asset, his size raises questions about his ability to handle more physical opponents, which became apparent in some ways in the USHL so far this season. His transitional skills, though not yet fully displayed in the Youngstown system, suggest potential as a capable offensive force across all zones. A move to the wing could suit him well, allowing him to focus on his offensive impact, with power-play potential as an added bonus. However, transitioning to North American physicality may be challenging and could affect his confidence and overall ceiling.
Given these considerations, Benak is a risk-reward prospect whose skill level justifies his ranking in the late first round, between 25th and 35th overall.
Finlay Sherratt
November 2024