Buffalo Sabres Ink Zemgus Girgensons To A One-Year Deal
It’s do or die time for the Buffalo Sabres for the likeable Latvian.
The Buffalo Sabres managed to check off one more box on their summer to-do list Thursday, as the team came to terms with one of its remaining RFAs, Zemgus Girgensons.
The #LatvianLocomotive is back! 🚂@zemgus94 signs one-year deal ▶️▶️https://t.co/RuUCFXNkKGpic.twitter.com/HeF1jeJeDw
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) September 1, 2016
Well it’s about time!
Girgensons’ new contract is good for one year, to the tune of $1.15 million, a nice little bump up from the initial $874,125 qualifying offer the Sabres originally made earlier this offseason.  Any time a player receives a pay raise, he should celebrate, so congrats, Zemgus!
Having said that: Girgensons now joins Johan Larsson, who was also signed to a one-year deal by the Buffalo Sabres in April, in the unenviable “Players Who Have One Year To Live” club.  Obviously, that title is a bit dramatic – no, I don’t think either of these guys will literally die if he doesn’t have a career year, and yes, I understand it is possible for them to continue playing professional hockey even if the Sabres decline to re-sign them during free agency.  (Sadly, I felt the need to explain that, as some readers take everything literally!)
Still, the writing is on the wall for these two guys, neither of whom were acquired on GM Tim Murray’s watch.  Both Girgensons and Larsson bring a physical and defensive-minded presence to the third and fourth line of the Sabres, but each of these guys need to figure out a way to find the back of the net more consistently, especially Girgensons, who followed up a 15-15-30 season with a disappointing 7-11-18 effort in 2015-16.
That sort of production led GMTM to say this upon signing Girgensons (courtesy of The Buffalo News):
Zemgus has grown into a solid two-way player since beginning his career. Â We hope to see him continue this positive trend and find a consistent role within the club this season as another young player to grow with our group.
If the phrases “continue this positive trend” and “find a consistent role” don’t qualify as “writing on the wall,” I sure as hell don’t know what does!
It’s safe to say that 20 goals is what Zemgus Girgensons is going to have to score for the Buffalo Sabres in 2016-17 if he wishes to earn a more permanent spot on the roster as this team fights to establish itself as a serious contender.  That might be a tall task, but honestly, after the huge step backwards Girgensons took last season, he should be happy he has one more chance to prove that he belongs in the 716.
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