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Zemgus Girgensons is a man without metaphoric a country right now.
Not that long ago, the former first round draft choice was considered a building block and a key cog in the Buffalo Sabres' rebuilding process. When the Sabres arrive at the playoff altar, Zemgus would be one of the ring bearers. Or, so Sabres management, coaches and fans thought.
Today, the young power forward can't get out of his own way on the ice. He's struggling to live up to the high expectations of head coach Dan Bylsma. Once relied upon to score and make plays 5v5, PP, and PK, Girgensons has been relegated to a fourth line mucker. Special teams is the dessert that head coaches feed their players as rewards for jobs well done. Zemgus is struggling to clean his plate. No desserts for Girgensons.
How can such a young, vibrant, energetic, skilled player be reduced to a simple foot soldier in such a short period of time?
I think Girgensons is stuck in his own head. Rather than play the game instinctively, passionately and with a bit of structure, he is struggling to grasp his assignments. Bylsma isn't having any of it.
At the beginning of teh season, I thought that Zemgus might be harboring hard feelings as a result of teh long protracted contract extension that his agent and Tim Murray were engaged in last summer. Girgensons wanted a long term contract at fair market value. His agent argued that Zemgus has proven himslef in teh first three years of his NHL contract. Murray and the Sabres countered with "what have you done for me lately"? In September, Girgensons settled for a one year, $1.15 million contract from the Sabres. Take it or leave it. The then restricted free agent had no other choice but to sign what amounted to be a qualifying tender offer by the Sabres. Playing hard ball with Murray didn't work out so well for Zemgus nor his agent. Murray said "Here kid. Show me what ya got. Outplay this contract". In other words, the one year bridge contract is an all-in opportunity for the kid. Murray signed Marcus Foligno to a similar one year bridge deal. Foligno is has taken his game to new levels offensively and defensively this seasona nd is one of Bylsma's best, trusted foot soldiers. Foligno gets the benefit of teh doubt from Bylsma because he is producing with his line mates Johan Larsson and Brian Gionta. Foligno is earning a long term extension at fair market value based on his fast -physical play in the first 33% segment of the season.
Foligno's success begs the question:
What's troubling Zemgus?
Foligno and Girgensons are similar players. Both are young, fast, physical and put the team above all else. So why are young buck forwards Foligno, Johan Larsson, Derek Grant, Will Carrier and others thriving under Bylsma? Why can't Girgensons give Bylsma the same effort and results as his peers?
I think it's all in his head right now. Girgensons is not injured. His only limitations are those that he places on himself. Bylsma and Murray are telling him repeatedly to show, don't tell how great a leader and contributor he is. Slowly, Girgensons has fallen down teh organizational depth chart and is in peril of sitting out games in the near future as a healthy scratch.
Perhaps Girgensons is having a tough time coming to grips with the fact that his role needed to change on a winning team. In other words, he had his best success when he was given the green light to freelance under his mentor Ted Nolan. Winning and earning a playoff berth are now the modus operandi in Buffalo. Not tanking for Eichel and Reinhart. Bylsma and Murray have given Girgensons ample and adequate time to acclimate to the new system. What is taking Zemgus so long to adapt his game to the hiscoach's style?
Might the Anaheim Ducks be interetsed in Zemgus Girgensons?
My friend in red wine and hockey Elliotte Friedman mentions Girgensons in his most recent "30 Thoughts" column.
Ice time for Zemgus Girgensons' last seven games: 10:07, 9:08, 8:07, 8:39, 9:40, 7:23, 9:07. Buffalo is getting calls, but general manager Tim Murray is telling people the decreased usage doesn’t mean the Sabres will just give him away. I think Anaheim had some dialogue here last summer, but the asking price was one of the Ducks’ talented young defencemen — a cost they were unwilling to pay without some kind of sweetener.
The Sabres spanked the LA Kings 6-3 and Girgensons didn't make it onto the score sheet.
Girgensons played only 10:46 TOI, had zero shot attempts and four hits. Zemgus played on the fourth line. Again.
Jack Eichel scored twice and added an assist. Kyle Okposo added three assists. Rasmus Ristolainen and Matt Moulson had two assists. Ryan O'Reilly, Evander Kane and Brian Gionta also scored for the Sabres against the Kings in a game that the Sabres had to have in order to keep pace with Boston for an Eastern wild card.
The Sabres now trail the Bruins by only three points in the standings. They host NY Islanders Friday night and travel to Carolina on Saturday night.
Where was Girgensons?
The Riga, Latvia native was drafted to be a 20 goal, 50 point power center of the Ryan O'Reilly variety. Dan Bylsma has been a patient man. He keeps waiting for the old Zemgus to burst onto the ice and dominate opponents during shifts. The patience of Bylsma and Murray appears to have reached it's end.
Girgensons has had four seasons to get NHL compliant. For some reason it isn't happening for him. These days, Girgensons is a spectator to the scoring and play making of his teammates. Girgensons has teh ability and the desire to score goals and make plays. He seems lost without his mentor Ted Nolan, under whom the young Latvian thrived during the Buffalo tanking seasons.
Girgensons averaged 15:02 TOI in 71 games in 2015-16. He struggled offensively by scoring only 7 goals and 11 assists after scoring 15 goals and 15 assists in his All Star season in 2014-15.
I wrote several times last season about Girgensons being featured piece in a deal for Cam Fowler. There were many conversations between the Sabres and Ducks, however, no Fowler trade materialized. Close. No cigar. Credit the Ducks for holding on to Folwer rather than trade him to Buffalo. Fowler has been a godsend for Randy Carlyle and the Ducks in their first 29 games of the season.My sources ttold me last winter that Fowler was as good as gone and Buffalo was one of the strong suitors for his services. What happened to the trade? When defenseman Simon Despres was placed on LTIR it freed up needed salary cap space to keep the Ducks roster intact. In other words, had Despres remained healthy, the Ducks would have needed to move Folwer 's $4M AAV (x2) in order to free up needed $3.85M AAV to re-sign scoring forwad Ricky Rakell, who was RFA last summer along with Hampus Lindholm.
I've also written extensively in this space about Girgensons, the 14th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, and how he failed to take the bull by the horns while Jack Eichel was injured and out of the lineup for the first seven weeks of the season. Girgensons had many opportunties to play top six minutes with skilled linemates, however, he has very little to shoe for it. Rochester Amerks call ups Will Carrier and Derek Grant appear to have passsed Girgensons on the Buffalo depth chart. It appears to my eyes that Carroer and Grant have earned teh trust of Dan Bylsma and they have been rewarded with increased TOI and responsibilities, Conversely, it appears as though Girgensons has earned his demotion to the fourth line. His minutes contimnue to dwindle to the 9-10 minute per game mark. His offense is nonexistent because he lacks confidence in his shot. When he is at his best, Giorgensons skates like a brahma bull attacking the enemy goalie. When he struggles he plays high and on the perimeter. He has only 2 goal sand 3 assists in 27 games this season and Dan Bylsma wants more jam and grit. He wants Girgensons to be above the battle at all times.
What will it take to get Tim Murray to trade Girgensons? To Anaheim?
If Fowler is off the table, Murray may want one of Anaheim's two stud D prospects in Shea Theodore or Brandon Montour, both of which are NHL ready. Murray has been patiently looking around for uprades to his blue line which has been beat up badly with injuries this season.
Theodore has played 9 games in AHL San Diego this season and has collected 7 assists. Theodore has 5 assists in 15 game splayed for the Anaheim Ducks where he is averaging 18:01 TOI.
Montour is San Diego's second highest scorer with 5 goals and 11 assists in 20 games played
Theodore (left) was the 26th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. Mountour (right) was a second rounder in 2014.
The Ducks have one of the most balanced, deep and skilled D corps in the NHl. It features 24 minute man Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, Kevin Bieksa, Josh Manson, Clayton Stoner and Korbinian Holzer.
Does Girgensons have trade value? You better believe he does. I do know that while the Ducks were scouting ex-Sabres power forward Jamie McGinn that they were impressed with what physicality and finish Girgensons brought to the rink every night.
Maybe Zemgus is in need of a trade to another team where he can re-calibrate his game and get back to being The Latvian Locomotive.
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With the LA Kings in Buffalo to play the Sabres tonight, it's worth noting the many front office types and scouts who are in attendance to take notes on the Sabres.
For the third time in the past four games. Montreal's Director of Pro Scouting is in the house. The Habs have been looking for help down the middle in the form of a veteran center. With Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais injuerd and out of the lineup for the next 6-7 weeks, GM Marc Bergevin is looking to fortify his center ranks, The Habs are not going to blowout every opponent 10-1 like they did on Hockey Night In Canada. The Habs need center depth in a hurry. The Sabres might be willing to move center/winger Zemgus Girgensons in exchange for a veteran defenseman. Don't sleep on Evander Kane as a center option. Kane has played center at times in his NHL career and was a centerman in junior with the Vancouver Giants.
The Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres won't play one another again this season as the two teams met three times in the past three weeks. The Caps have sent their Director Of Player Personnel to watch Buffalo.
The Anaheim Ducks have been watching the Sabres closely and cosnistently for the past couple of months. The Ducks are always open to adding young, aggressive, two-way forwards with friendly contracts.
The Winnipeg Jets are looking for a veteran forwatfs as well.
San Jose have been regulars at Sabres games this season as have Calgary, Dallas, and Philly.
Earlier this month, the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning were scouting the Sabres. The Blues sent their Director of Pro Scouting to Buffalo. The Blues are searching for a second line center.
The Bolts sent the AGM to Buffalo. Tampa is currently looking for another top four defenseman.
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Historically speaking, the LA Kings do not play well in Buffalo, NY.
Did you know that since the 1993-94 season, the Kings have played 15 games in Buffalo?
Shockingly, the Kings are a combined 1-11-3 with one tie against the Sabres in Buffalo in the past 23 years.
Crazy stat, right?
The only LA Kings win in Buffalo from 1993 to present was on February 21, 2003.
Kings defenseman extraordinaire Drew Doughty told the Kings' website that he and his teammates cannot out a finger on why the Kings have habitually had their crowns knocked off their heads by the Sabres while playing in the 716.
To quote the American poet James Hetfield:
"Where's your crown"?
“Buildings where you kind of find it hard to win are buildings like Florida or Phoenix, or something when there’s just no atmosphere in there. But you know when the fans are loud and good, it’s fun to play in those types of buildings,… Doughty said. “Yeah, I didn’t know that we hadn’t won in this one in that long, but obviously we’ve got to change that tonight and come up with a win.…
What?
I'm confused.
Did Doughty just throw shade and accuse at the Buffalo fans for being a library of a building in?
Or, is Doughty trying to say that Buffalo is a great place to play because the fans are rabid and enthusiastic?
Or. is he trying to say that many Kings players who are from the Buffalo-Toronto area, himself included, have a tough time getting up to play the Sabres when family and friends are in attendance?
Don't expect a track meet on ice tonight. The Kings like to control the pace by clogging the neutral zone with Mounties on horseback on skates with hockey sticks.
The Kings have lost their last three decisions in Buffalo by scores of 2-1 (OT), 1-0, and 3-2 (SO).
Kings veteran D-man Andy Greene says he and his teammates are not about to get into a shootout with Jack Eichel, Ryan O'Reilly, Sam Reinhart, Evander Kane and Kyle Okposo tonight.
“We want it to be low scoring, that’s more in our favor,… Greene said. “We’re not a run-and-gun team. Again, I don’t know any rhyme or reason to it. If I did, we probably would’ve won some of those games, but we want to be in a tight-checking game, we don’t want to give up much, and we want to bury our chances.…
The last time these two teams met, the Kings defeated the Sabres 2-0 in LA on February 27 The Sabres will travel to LA on Thursday, March 16.
This is the 120th game all-time between Buffalo and Los Angeles; Buffalo has a 58-42-19 series record.
The Sabres are 34-16-9 at home against the Kings all-time.
The Sabres enter tonight’s game with a 5-3-2 record in their last 10 games, including a 4-1-1 record in their last six home games.
Buffalo is 8-1-3 in its last 12 home games against Western Conference opponents.
The Sabres are 57-19-16 (.707) all-time in home games against the Pacific Division, including an 11-0-3 record in the last 14 games. No Pacific Division team has won a game in regulation in Buffalo since the Edmonton Oilers topped the Sabres 3-2 on November 7, 2014.
Evander Kane and Ryan O’Reilly both have nine points (4G,5A) in their last nine games against Los Angeles.
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Rasmus Ristolainen has nine points in his last nine games (1G, 8A), including eight (1G, 7A) his last six.
Ryan O’Reilly has seven points (2G, 5A) in his last six games.
Jack Eichel has 11 points (4G, 7A) in his last 11 games dating back to last season, including five points (3G, 2A) in six games in 2016-17.
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Buffalo was ranked fourth in the NHL in power play percentage (22.8%) and sixth in team faceoff percentage (51.7%) entering play Monday.
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There have been some dramatic point trends in the NHL compared to this date one year ago. We are 33% of the way through the 2016-17 regular season and there haven't been too many radical changes in terms of individual teams and their respective point totals year over year.
Biggest Gainers:
Congratulations to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have 18 more points in their bank account today than they did after their first 26 games in 2015-16. The Blue Jax have done a tremendous job of introducing their fine young prospects to their NHL roster. You'll recall that the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate in Cleveland won the Calder Cup championship last June. Blue Jax GM Jarmo Kekelainen should be credited with promoting rookie of the year candidate and top pair defenseman Zach Werenski to the big club. Werenski has 6 gaols and 11 assists (3PPG, 1 GWG). He leads all NHL rookie defensemen in points (17), goals (6) and TOI at 21:48 per game. The Blue Jax are currently third overall in goals scored per game (.3.31 GPG) and are number three in goals against (2.12 GPG).
Commendable Achievement:
The Anaheim Ducks fired Bruce Boudreau last summer after his club lost in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals for the fourth straight season. Enter former Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle who has proven thatr all things old are new again. Carlyle won a Stanley Cup in Anaheim when Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry were young bucks. Getzlaf and Perry know what is expected of them and are performing to peak levels whereas last season at this time they were gawd awful on a nightly basis.
Getzlaf and Perry have combines for 8 goals and 48 points in 29 games.
Despite being the focal point of trade rumors for the past eighteen months, Cam Fowler has been an MVP candidate. Fowler has 7 goals and 11 assists in 29 games played while playing 24 minutes TOI per game.
Ryan Kesler has had a hot start and already has 12 goal sand 13 assists in 29 games.
Ricky Rakell has scored 11 goals and 5 assists while Jakob Silfverberg has 8 goals and 12 assists.
The Ducks are currently 9th in goals for (2.76 GPG) and are 10th in goals against (2.55).
Biggest Losers:
Poor Lindy Ruff. His Dallas Stars have taken the gas pipe thus far in 2016-17. The Stars are18 points behind the pace they set for themseslves after 26 games in 2015-16.
When Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin are not pulling the wagon offensively, the Stars have a tough time winning.
The Stars are having serious issues with the health and wellness of their defensemen. Just when one gets healthy, another one suffers an injury or is suspended. Ruff has had to play nine different D-men this season. His best +/- men are Johnny Oduya and Jamie Olesiak who have played in only 20 and 13 games, respectively. Oleksiak was suspended for two game by the NHL on Sunday for an illegal check to an opponent's head. The once terrific big Swede John Klingberg has been in Ruff's doghouse this season and is -7. In 8 games played, Julius Honka (-7) has shown offensive flair but needs more time to learn how to play NHL defense.
Their goaltending is below average too. Kari Lehtonen has a 2.92 GAA and .894 save % in 19 starts whhile Antii Niemi has a 3.20 GAA and .902 save %.
Dallas is 19th in goals for (2.50 GPG) and are 30th in goals against (3.20 GPG).
Atlantic Division:
Montreal Canadiens- 29 games played 42 points (flat year to year) Ottawa Senators- 29 games played, 34 points (-1) Boston Bruins- 30 games played, 34 points (-4) Tampa Bay Lightning- 29 games played, 30 points (-1) Florida Panthers- 29 games played, 30 points (-2) Detroit Red Wings- 29 games played, 30 points (-5) Toronto Maple Leafs- 27 games played, 27 points (+4) Buffalo Sabres- 27 games played. 26 points (+1)
Metro Division:
New York Rangers- 30 games played, 41 points (+2) Pittsburgh Penguins- 29 games played, 41 points (+6) Philadelphia Flyers- 31 games played, 39 points (+7) Columbus Blue Jackets- 26 games played, 38 points (+18) Washington Capitals- 27 games played, 37 points (-3) New Jersey Devils- 28 games played, 30 points (-2) Carolina Hurricanes- 28 games played , 28 points (+4) New York Islanders- 27 games played, 27 points (-7)
Central Division:
Chicago Blackhawks- 30 games played , 40 points (+4) St. Louis Blues- 29 games played, 36 points (flat year to year) Minnesota Wild- 27 games played, 34 points (flat year to year) Winnipeg Jets- 32 games played, 29 points (-3) Nashville Predators- 27 games played, 28 points (-4) Dallas Stars- 30 games played, 28 points (-18) Colorado Avalanche- 27 games played, 23 points (flat year to year)
Pacific Divison:
Anaheim Ducks- 29 games played , 35 points (+8) Edmonton Oilers- 31 games played, 35 points (+5) Calgary Flames- 31 games played, 34 points (+2) San Jose Sharks- 28 games played, 33 points (+4) Los Angeles Kings- 27 games played, 30 points (-7) Vancouver Canucks- 29 games played, 26 points (-2) Arizona Coyotes- 2 games played, 23 points (-4)