Top 3 attributes Zemgus Girgensons returns to the Buffalo Sabres
With Zemgus Girgensons returning to the Buffalo Sabres, it looks like the Blue and Gold may roll with a similar look in 2023-24.
Now that the Buffalo Sabres have brought back alternate captain Zemgus Girgensons for the 2023-24 season on what is reported to be for one-year, $2.5 million, their roster will look similar to the one that finished with 91 points and nearly ended the league’s longest playoff drought. While some may be dismayed at Girgensons’ return, and I’ll even admit that there are more productive options out there, I will say that the seasoned veteran brings value.
Below, we will look at three major attributes that Girgensons will bring back to the Sabres in 2023-24. Each attribute addresses a weakness, and after breaking them down, it’s rather easy to see why general manager Kevyn Adams decided to retain the former first round pick for another season.
So what kind of value does Girgensons’ return mean for the Sabres? Keep reading for a rundown.
What Girgensons brings back to the Buffalo Sabres
1 – Physicality
No, Zemgus Girgensons won’t do much in the scoring realm, but it doesn’t matter. The Buffalo Sabres boast one of the NHL’s best top lines and a brewing second line to take care of that. They even have sound scorers on the third line, or they will, if Casey Mittelstadt returns to his role as third line center or winger and the Sabres replace Victor Olofsson.
Anyway, enough chatter. There were forwards on the Blue and Gold’s roster who were more physical than Girgensons. In 80 games, he logged 96 hits, and 49 blocks. The latter was his highest since he recorded 62 back in 2014-15.
Over the past two seasons, physicality hasn’t come easy to the Sabres. So even if Girgensons is older and not highly productive on the scoring front, he adds a layer of toughness Buffalo needs to be successful in 2023-24.
2 – Leadership
Over the last pair of seasons, Zemgus Girgensons served as one of the Buffalo Sabres alternate captains. This displays that the Blue and Gold value his leadership ability, and since they will be a young team once again in 2023-24, the Sabres will benefit from the 29-year-old’s presence.
Girgensons’ presence will also help mold future leaders of this club like Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, Tage Thompson, and fellow alternate captain, Rasmus Dahlin. While players like Tuch and Cozens have shown ability to lead over the past season, it won’t hurt the still-young Sabres to have an experienced player like Girgensons in the locker room for at least another year.
Girgensons is also a player who has fought and overcome adversity multiple times throughout his NHL career, given his decade-long stint with Buffalo and the franchise’s constant turnover. Now that the Sabres are good enough to contend for the playoffs, he finally has a chance to add a postseason appearance to his resume.
3 – Defense
Like Peyton Krebs, Zemgus Girgensons is yet another defensive-minded winger for the Buffalo Sabres, and one who constantly turned in sound performances last season, even with just 12:59 of average total ice time. Not only did Girgensons make a better defensive impact than most of his teammates in 2022-23; the Blue and Gold averaged a 92% on-ice save percentage at even strength and a 92.1% at 5-on-5.
Buffalo was also better in transition with Girgensons on the ice than in recent years, with his Corsi and Fenwick For Percentages each creeping north of 50% for the first time in his career. Overall, Girgensons’ impact defensively can’t be valued enough when you’re talking about fourth liners.
light. Related Story. Will the Sabres acquire a forward in 2023 offseason?
Sure, with the Sabres retaining Girgensons, it could dash our hopes to see more prospects rise up into the NHL. The upside, however, is that with Girgensons’ physicality, leadership, experience, and defensive mindset, his presence will nonetheless benefit Buffalo. As for the prospects, they can just keep working on honing their respective games.
Source: Sabres bring back winger Zemgus Girgensons on a 1-year, $2.5 million contract by Lance Lysowski, BuffaloNews.com
(Statistics and analytics provided by Hockey-Reference)