Last week highlighted the start of the 2024 NHL Free Agency with big names like forwards Steven Stamkos, Jake Guentzel, and Jonathan Marchessault all finding new homes. Among the many moves made last week, forward Zemgus Girgensons signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the next three seasons, moving on from the Buffalo Sabres. This may seem like a contending team filling out its bottom six, but the loss is significant for Sabres fans. It is time to review the Latvian Locomotive’s 10-year tenure in blue, white, and gold.
2012 NHL Entry Draft and Minor League Hockey
While the 2012 NHL Entry Draft’s first four selections did not pan out as the teams that drafted them hoped, the rest of the draft featured notable first-round picks like forward Fillip Forsberg, defenseman Morgan Reilly, and goalie Andrey Vasilevskiy, and Girgensons was selected 14th overall by the Sabres – he ranks ninth in games played from the 2012 Draft class.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound, left-handed shot played with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL) before being drafted, posting 104 points in 100 games over two seasons. In 2010-11, the Fighting Saints won the Clark Cup thanks to his and current Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau’s contributions.
Girgensons Career
After he was drafted, the Big Z signed his rookie contract and played for Buffalo’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. After 61 games with the Amerks and recording a goal-per-game pace in the Calder Cup Playoffs, he was ready to make the jump to the NHL.
Surprisingly, Girgensons two most productive seasons came in his first two years in the league, scoring 22 points in his rookie year (2013-14) and 30 points the following season (2014-15). The Riga, Latvia native’s career-best year did not just end there; he was also the top vote-getter for the 2015 NHL All-Star Game – 79% of his votes came from his homeland in Latvia. He is the highest-drafted Latvian in NHL history and is considered one of the best Latvian-born hockey players.
During the next eight seasons in Buffalo, he ranged between 14-19 points a season. While he may not have fully lived up to his first-round pick status, he was a consistent bottom-six forward and a reliable penalty-killer. Girgensons will be remembered for his loyalty to the Sabres’ franchise when other star forwards like Ryan O’Reilly, Sam Reinhart, and Jack Eichel did not stay long in Buffalo. He wore an “A” on his jersey for the past three seasons and was a much-needed veteran presence on a very young team, mentoring the younger skaters.
In 688 games with the Sabres, Girgensons scored 89 goals and 188 points. Buffalo never made the playoffs during his 10-year run with the team – they have the second-longest playoff drought (13 years) among the four professional American sports leagues.
Girgensons’ All-Time Ranks as a Sabre
In 688 games in Buffalo, Girgensons ranks ninth all-time in games played for the franchise and the most recent longest-tenured Sabre. Other noteworthy names that recently held long ties with the organization include forward Jason Pominville (nine seasons), recent Stanley Cup champion Kyle Okiposo (eight seasons), and defenseman Ramus Ristolainen (eight seasons). Now, Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin are the longest-tenured Sabres at six seasons.
Outlook for Tampa Bay
Girgensons joins an aging core of Lightning forwards Guentzel, Nikita Kucherov, and defenseman Victor Hedman. While the team may lack in-depth scoring after losing long-time captain Stamkos, they have a plethora of grizzled veterans with playoff experience. If Tampa Bay makes the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, look for them to give any team a run for their money in the first round.
