Confirmed with Link: Zemgus Girgensons signs deal: 2 yrs, 1.6M AAV

[NotABadPeriod]

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[joshjull]

Sabres sign Girgensons (2yrs 1.6mil per)

 

[Dingo44]

Nice!

Is he still an RFA at the end of the deal?

 

[pigpen65]

Really had his career upended the past couple years. As long as he's given a fair shot he'll get himself back on track. Guaranteed.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

Nice deal similar to what I expected.

 

[Gabrielor]

Pretty close to exactly what I thought. I had 2 years, 1.5 per.

Great to Girgs back. Always have a soft spot for him. Want him to be part of a champion here.

 

[haseoke39]

Great number for us, hope he earns a big raise in 2 years.

Put him on Jack's wing. Let him do the dirty work.

 

[JamieWalker]

nhlnumbers has it at 1.15 for '17, and 1.6 for '18

sorry that was this past year 1.15 '17

 

[gallagt01]

About what I expected.

Housley needs to establish early on how Girgensons will be used and relay that message to Girgensons.

 

[tpeg1]

About what I expected.

Housley needs to establish early on how Girgensons will be used and relay that message to Girgensons.

My bet he already did

 

[dkollidas]

Great number for us, hope he earns a big raise in 2 years.

Put him on Jack's wing. Let him do the dirty work.

This is my hope

 

[Snippit]

So everybody is signed for the 17-18 season then?

We still have 7m in cap space. Wonder if we don't sign Jagr or someone to a 1 year deal.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

Sweet!

I just hope the system uses him, and others, correctly!!!

 

[Icicle]

So everybody is signed for the 17-18 season then?

We still have 7m in cap space. Wonder if we don't sign Jagr or someone to a 1 year deal.

Bonuses for Eichel and Reinhart will eat up 4-5


Perfect deal for this player. 2 years was critical

 

[Chainshot]

About what I expected.

Housley needs to establish early on how Girgensons will be used and relay that message to Girgensons.

This. Disco lost Gus early and never got him back. Remember the joy that this guy had for just being on the ice? The gusto? Yeah, would love to see the staff tap back into that guy.

 

[old kummelweck]

Good.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

This. Disco lost Gus early and never got him back. Remember the joy that this guy had for just being on the ice? The gusto? Yeah, would love to see the staff tap back into that guy.

Yeah. I think he also really wanted to show he could be that checking line guy (thank you Byslma for being inflexible on roster construction...), and that just sapped everything from the rest of his game. He could be the perfect guy as a winger on a lineup with Eichel-ROR-Reinhart down the middle. Let him be the glue guy, drive the net with reckless abandon, and use his natural instincts more. He could create so much space for the skill guys.

 

[ZZamboni]

Nice value
Nice term

Hopefully it will become an incredible steal over the next 2 years.

 

[beerme1]

Nice!
Is he still an RFA at the end of the deal?

Someone has the answer but I'm guessing. I believe he will still be. Barely.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

He will be RFA with arbitration rights after this contract.

 

[old kummelweck]

I was pretty sure they were going to have difficulty signing him. Glad that wasn't the case. Two years is even more of a surprise. He must know there isn't a better opportunity for him anywhere else in the league.

 

[Montag DP]

I'm thinking he is going to rebound from those last couple aBylsmal seasons, and this will look like a steal shortly.

 

[Dreakon13]

Always had a soft spot for Girgs, nice deal. Hope he can turn it around with a fresh start.

I do have a tough time seeing his role in the NHL though. If he's a hard hitting bottom 6 energy guy, I don't think he really has the grit for it. Gets knocked around an awful lot. If he's a top 6 power forward type, I think he lacks both the grit and the offensive chops (consistently; he certainly has a highlight reel goal or two on his resume though). Is he a strong defensive player? I admittedly don't follow the fancy stats much. Maybe he's more of an all-purpose player... like a really, really poor mans ROR? Not tough in the conventional sense but skilled, dogged on the puck and difficult to play against when he's tuned in.

In a perfect situation (which his pro career has seen very little of to this point)... what kind of player is Girgs?

 

[Sabretip]

Great number for us, hope he earns a big raise in 2 years.

Put him on Jack's wing. Let him do the dirty work.

He doesn't have the speed or finishing touch to be in the top 6 IMO - Kane is the best option for Eichel's wing and is just as capable of using the body to battle for pucks as Girgensons.

About what I expected.

Housley needs to establish early on how Girgensons will be used and relay that message to Girgensons.

Putting Girgensons as the LW on a line centered by Larsson with Pominville on the other wing for a strong forechecking, 2-way checking line would be my first choice. Larsson and Girgensons had some brief chemistry as linemates in Rochester and both play a strong defensive game, have good faceoff skills and can agitate top lines of opponents. The trio could be as effective as the Foligno-Larsson-Gionta line was, with Girgensons doing what Foligno did and Pominville picking up what Gionta did.

I'm dead-set against any scenario that demotes Larsson to 4th line minutes as he proved that he can handle more responsibilities that that role would limit him to.

This. Disco lost Gus early and never got him back. Remember the joy that this guy had for just being on the ice? The gusto? Yeah, would love to see the staff tap back into that guy.

A lot of that had to do with the rapport Girgensons had with Nolan, who championed the underdog, us-against-the-world mantra. I think that emotional approach Nolan used with Latvia and the Sabres helped Girgensons overachieve those two years - but he's shown that he's more suited for a two-way checking role than any offensive-minded role IMO.

 

[dasaybz]

He doesn't have the speed or finishing touch to be in the top 6 IMO - Kane is the best option for Eichel's wing and is just as capable of using the body to battle for pucks as Girgensons.



Putting Girgensons as the LW on a line centered by Larsson with Pominville on the other wing for a strong forechecking, 2-way checking line would be my first choice. Larsson and Girgensons had some brief chemistry as linemates in Rochester and both play a strong defensive game, have good faceoff skills and can agitate top lines of opponents. The trio could be as effective as the Foligno-Larsson-Gionta line was, with Girgensons doing what Foligno did and Pominville picking up what Gionta did.

I'm dead-set against any scenario that demotes Larsson to 4th line minutes as he proved that he can handle more responsibilities that that role would limit him to.



A lot of that had to do with the rapport Girgensons had with Nolan, who championed the underdog, us-against-the-world mantra. I think that emotional approach Nolan used with Latvia and the Sabres helped Girgensons overachieve those two years - but he's shown that he's more suited for a two-way checking role than any offensive-minded role IMO.

Uh, what? Girgs is plenty fast.