The Buffalo Sabres have already experienced some pain this season. Zemgus Girgensons, who was injured a few days ago after taking an awkward fall at practice, underwent successful hamstring surgery today and will be out for the next six months. That effectively ends Girgensons’ season before it even begins, and leaves the Sabres with a decision to make on who will fill his roster spot.
Just Wednesday, the Sabres added three players to their training camp roster and have other candidates like Riley Sheahan already competing for an NHL contract. With Girgensons out, an extra spot opened in the bottom-six, especially for someone that has experience on the penalty kill. Though Girgensons also hasn’t regularly played center the last few years, perhaps someone with the ability to play the middle of the ice would also have a leg up.
It’s brutal news for a player that just signed a new three-year deal in October, locking him in at a reasonable $2.2M cap hit through 2022-23. Girgensons doesn’t offer much offensively — though he did score 12 goals in 69 games last season — but is a strong defensive presence and brings some more size and physicality to the Sabres lineup.
Sheahan seems a good bet for a deal now unless he has disappointed in camp. It also could potentially open a spot for younger players like Rasmus Asplund, though at Wednesday’s practice he was on a line with Casey Mittelstadt and Arttu Ruotsalainen, two other players who seem destined for the taxi squad to start the year given their waiver-exempt status.
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