Annual expectations thread 2022/23: #28 Zemgus Girgensons

[dudacek]

In each of his 5 previous seasons, Zemgus Girgensons put up between 15 and 19 points. No would should be surprised with last year’s 18.

Neither should anyone be surprised that he missed time to injury — 26 games to be exact, after missing the entire previous year with a hamstring tear.

As he has throughout his career, he continued to getting some of the toughest deployments on the team, with 64% defensive zone starts and plenty of shorthanded ice time. Overall, he finished 7th among forwards in average ice time, at 14:47 a game.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=130896

Girgensons was named co-alternate captain to start the season, along with Kyle Okposo. He earned praise for his commitment and attitude, but clearly took a backseat to Okposo as a public face of leadership, on and off the ice.

He enters the season with the possibility of being shifted to centre under consideration. He is also a pending unrestricted free agent, on a roster with a number of young forwards pressing for ice time.

What do you expect from Zemgus Girgensons?

(Last year's takes here):

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by dudacek

[LGR4GM]

Zemgus has his uses and I'll take his 20pts. I don't think he plays center though. 

[Indabuff]

I went with 15-20 points, hard skating, defensively responsible play and injury (since there were no other options).   If that's not an error it's funny as hell.   And thanks for keeping the site buzzing during the off-season with your polls!

[Digger]

I have no complaints with Zemgus and the game he brings.  Strong defensive game, plays hard, good character and I expect a repeat for him.

[DarthEbriate]

The Locomotive will be reliable and stay mostly healthy. He's also going to benefit from (and provide aid to) a deeper, more balanced scoring attack. I think the Sabres are capable of 250 goals this season. Girgens gets 12 goals or so, but scores more assists than recently because he's skating with Okposo, Hinostroza, Krebs, some Mitts, Quinn, and maybe JJP (and...maybe Bjork) in the bottom 6 instead of Murray, Hayden, Eakin, and Bjork. Let's say 70+ gp and 12-15-27.

[MattPie]

10 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

The Locomotive will be reliable and stay mostly healthy. He's also going to benefit from (and provide aid to) a deeper, more balanced scoring attack. I think the Sabres are capable of 250 goals this season. Girgens gets 12 goals or so, but scores more assists than recently because he's skating with Okposo, Hinostroza, Krebs, some Mitts, Quinn, and maybe JJP (and...maybe Bjork) in the bottom 6 instead of Murray, Hayden, Eakin, and Bjork. Let's say 70+ gp and 12-15-27.

Breakout year for the all-star.

[pi2000]

Do better. 

[PerreaultForever]

Overpaid for a 4th liner but he is what he is and will stay what he is. Until the trade deadline. 

[Weave]

Z is as consistent as a clock.  We know what we are getting every season.

I think he might see a slight uptick in points given the team around him has a bit more offensive skill.

I also think even the top teams need a Z in their lineup.  His future here will depend on whether KA has his future plans set up around accommodating Zs salary in the bottom 6.  Given we don’t really have another Z in the pipeline, he may get another contract.

[Eleven]

This poll is brilliant.

I do think this is his last year as a Sabre.  I don't think there will be room for him this time next year.

[MattPie]

2 hours ago, Weave said:

I also think even the top teams need a Z in their lineup.  His future here will depend on whether KA has his future plans set up around accommodating Zs salary in the bottom 6.  Given we don’t really have another Z in the pipeline, he may get another contract.

I agree, for all the "there's no place for $SABREPLAYERNAME on a Stanley Cup team", there are enough examples that have gone on to win a Stanley Cup. Ruhwedel[0] and Paille immediately come to mind.

[0] He was injured in the ECF and doesn't have his name on it, but did get a ring and a day with the cup.

[MISabresFan]

Until the Sabres can get over retread untalented players on the roster that only put up 10 15 points, the results will be the same.  Girgensons good guy, says the right things, however for this team to get to the playoffs the roster needs improvement.  They need to give up 30-40 goals less than last year and score 50 more goals to keep up with playoff teams.  I am sorry but Girgensons will not improve the goal scoring.  

[MattPie]

3 minutes ago, MISabresFan said:

Until the Sabres can get over retread untalented players on the roster that only put up 10 15 points, the results will be the same.  Girgensons good guy, says the right things, however for this team to get to the playoffs the roster needs improvement.  They need to give up 30-40 goals less than last year and score 50 more goals to keep up with playoff teams.  I am sorry but Girgensons will not improve the goal scoring.  

But does a decent job of preventing goal scoring, I believe. This is the stat line of a Stanley Cup winning forward.

GP  G A Pts PIM  Playoffs GP G A Pts PIM
43  6 7 13  28            25 3 3 6   4

I do not think this is much different that what Z does on a decent team.

[Weave]

9 minutes ago, MISabresFan said:

Until the Sabres can get over retread untalented players on the roster that only put up 10 15 points, the results will be the same.  Girgensons good guy, says the right things, however for this team to get to the playoffs the roster needs improvement.  They need to give up 30-40 goals less than last year and score 50 more goals to keep up with playoff teams.  I am sorry but Girgensons will not improve the goal scoring.  

Z is a bottom of the roster player.  I don’t think it is realistic to expect more than 15-18 goals from the bottom of your roster.  Even the bottom of Tampas roster was 15-19 goals.

[dudacek]

I don't think you can ask for much more than what Z gives you from a 4th-liner. Count me in among the "cup-winners need guys like this" crowd.

I think his future with the Sabres is tied to what they get this year from Okposo, Asplund and Cozens (and to a lesser extent Krebs and Peterka) when the other team has the puck.

If you've got offensive guys who are also reliable matchup guys he's going to be a spare part, but if they can't defend, you're going to need a player like Girgs for that role.

Edited August 30, 2022 by dudacek

[DarthEbriate]

19 hours ago, MattPie said:

Breakout year for the all-star.

Rise up, Latvia! This season: 3 Sabres All-Stars (Tage, Dahlin, and...  Zemgus?)

[Zamboni]

I smell another injury coming. He’ll be out 10-20% of the season.

[Pimlach]

9 hours ago, MISabresFan said:

Until the Sabres can get over retread untalented players on the roster that only put up 10 15 points, the results will be the same.  Girgensons good guy, says the right things, however for this team to get to the playoffs the roster needs improvement.  They need to give up 30-40 goals less than last year and score 50 more goals to keep up with playoff teams.  I am sorry but Girgensons will not improve the goal scoring.  

He might help improve the goals against.  

[Thorny]

s.

 

 

fixed it for you 

[Doohickie]

Girgensons' season this year:

[GASabresIUFAN]

This is end......

[MISabresFan]

14 hours ago, Pimlach said:

He might help improve the goals against.  

He just might help goals against, but the real numbers are 247 and 363.  The goals against while he has been with the Sabres is 3.2 and average finish is 7th place.

[Norcal]

I think Z is done in Buffalo after this season. 

I expect him to have a song in this thread about him.