Forward--Zemgus Girgensons DOB: January 5, 1994 (age, 25)
Draft: 2012 1st round (14th-overall)
How acquired: Drafted by Buffalo
Last contract signed: August 17, 2017, 2yr./$3.2 million
Final year of contract: 2018-19 (RFA with arbitration rights)
2018-19 Stats: 72 games | 5 goals | 13 assists | 18 points | -11| 13:37 ATOI
Buffalo Career Stats: 420 games | 49 goals | 70 assists | 119 points | -52 | 14:52 ATOI
What we wrote preseason: Girgensons right now is best suited in a fourth line energy role with the way this edition of the Sabres is constructed and that he has a good chance of succeeding in that role while also being a part of Buffalo's penalty kill.
After being benched for two games last season, Girgensons came back and earned a promotion to the top-six, according to Housley, with the coach saying, "He was just tenacious on the forecheck, really physical, demanding the puck, making the right decisions in the neutral zone and just brought a really good energy to our team,” This preseason has been a continuation of that and there's no reason to believe that he won't continue that in a fourth-line role.
Of note: Since 2013-14, the Sabres have had 16 players score shorthanded goals and only six have scored multiple. Girgensons leads them with six shorties.
After being benched for two games last season, Girgensons came back and earned a promotion to the top-six, according to Housley, with the coach saying, "He was just tenacious on the forecheck, really physical, demanding the puck, making the right decisions in the neutral zone and just brought a really good energy to our team,” This preseason has been a continuation of that and there's no reason to believe that he won't continue that in a fourth-line role.
Of note: Since 2013-14, the Sabres have had 16 players score shorthanded goals and only six have scored multiple. Girgensons leads them with six shorties.
What we wrote mid-season: One of the two mentioned above (in full-go compete mode) is Girgensons, who's been anchoring the fourth line nearly the entire season. You'll never get shorted in the effort department with the former first round pick (2012, 14th) and he does great work on the forecheck and along the wall. A disconnect between his head and hands (sometimes his feet as well) along with bouts of tunnel vision keeps him from producing as much as he could. Girgensons has a really good shot and his will gets him to advantageous spots on the ice, however he's had trouble capitalizing on his opportunities. For the fist time since he hit the ice as a rookie it seems as if the "Latvian Locomotive" has a defined role as that of a checker and penalty killer. From the start of the season Girgensons has been a big part of a fourth line that coach Phil Housley has called the team's best line on many occasions and he's also been on the top-unit of a penalty kill that is top-five in the league.
Impressions on his play this year: Count me as one who thought early on that Girgensons could be that hard-working power forward with leadership qualities and a strong, lunch-pail work ethic who'd also be a top-six/nine contributor. That, obviously, hasn't panned out.
It's hard to believe that he just completed his sixth full season with the club. Girgensons is the longest continually tenured Sabres player on the team and it should be pointed out that those six seasons are the worst stretch this franchise has ever gone through. On numerous occasions the struggles of the Sabres were directed towards players that have been with the team the longest and who've known nothing but losing. Yet, blaming a fourth-liner in that regard is a tad harsh, especially when he was in a well-defined defensive role (84.7% d-zone starts) for head coach Phil Housley last season.
Girgensons played his role well while helping to anchor a fourth line that many times were considered the best line on the ice. He also led Buffalo's forwards with 2:23 ATOI on a Sabres penalty kill that finished 12th in the league. That said, good NHL teams have defensive forwards who not only do that but also produce and Girgensons' 18 points (5+13) needed to be better.
Questions moving forward: What does GM Jason Botterill think of Girgensons? Who will be the new head coach? Would Girgensons' fifth coach be the charm? Do the Sabres think Girgensons was worth $1.6 million in a purely defensive role and will they qualify him for that this off season? Where might he end up if he doesn't stay in Buffalo? Would he be better suited to a Western Conference, north-south style of play?
Contract info via CapFriendly, stats via sabres.com and hockey reference.com.
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