Zemgus Girgensons
A favorite from his Buffalo Sabres teammates, Girgensons finally returned to the lineup in the 6-1 blowout loss to the Edmonton Oilers. And while it’s not likely the Sabres will move Girgensons before the trade deadline, the 28-year-old is an ideal candidate to serve a would-be contender on the lower lines.
Girgensons has shown limited offensive ability since he made his NHL debut in 2013-14, having never recorded over 30 points in a single season. However, he excels in puck control and he makes an excellent fourth-liner who can maintain control of the puck and set things up for the scoring lines.
And Girgenson’s puck control gets better with age. He has committed 12 or fewer giveaways over his last four seasons of action, with just seven in 2021-22 over 35 games. A team figuring to contend next season will overvalue Girgensons this offseason.