The Buffalo Sabres got a bit of work done a couple of weeks before free agency opens by bringing back one of their long-time players, Zemgus Girgensons. The team re-signed him to a one-year deal at a cap hit of $2.5 million, taking him to 2024, where he will be an unrestricted free agent. He has been with the Sabres his entire career after being drafted by them 14th overall in 2012 and will play his 10th season for them in 2023-24.
The Sabres took no risk in signing Girgensons here, as they know exactly what they’re getting in the bottom-six forward. With a young team on the rise and in need of leadership, it is important to keep some veterans around to help out the more inexperienced players. This is what the Sabres did in keeping Girgensons, and at a good price. Although $2.5 million might seem like an overpayment for a bottom-six player who will give the team around 10 goals and 18 points in a season, the Sabres aren’t worried about cap space until next offseason when they have a number of players to then re-sign.
Girgensons career started off a little hotter than it is right now, but not a ton has changed. Over time, he has become more of a goal-scorer at the bottom of the lineup, and his ice time has been reduced with the number of young players entering the lineup and seeking minutes. He can play both center and the wing but should slot in on the wing on the fourth line next season.
Girgensons’ Fit With the Sabres
The Sabres are a very young team, and although they are expected to push for a playoff spot again, they weren’t going to use $17 million in cap space this offseason to make multiple major changes. The $2.5 million to Girgensons is to reward his service and act as a safety net for the young players and prospects coming up.
Girgensons’ physicality has somewhat dwindled throughout the years, but what he still provides is a lot of shorthanded minutes. With such a young lineup, some might say he’s taking time away from someone younger and part of the future that is trying to break into the NHL. This signing allows the Sabres to know what they’re getting, which they seem to have liked the last nine years, and not rush anyone to the NHL who shouldn’t be there yet.
The signing also indicates that a potential trade is coming to move a forward, and all signs point to Victor Olofsson. It also means there’s little chance Vinnie Hinostroza sticks around, as veterans Girgensons and Kyle Okposo make up 2/3 of the fourth line. Even in the limited role that Girgensons is expected to play in 2023-24, the feeling is that both sides will be happy with potentially one final year together.
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