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Next up in our continuing discussion, the man with the C. #12 Brian Gionta RW (two years left at $$4.3 million per, age 36) Buffalo 65/13/22/35/-13/18 A western New York native who overcame serious doubt about his stature to win a Stanley Cup and captain the legendary Montreal Canadiens, Brian Gionta should be a figure of love and respect in Buffalo. The love affair hasn’t exactly ignited yet. That happens when you are appointed as the face of one of the worst teams in Sabres’ franchise history. His role in Buffalo was defined very clearly on the day of his signing by GM Tim Murray: "He's heart and soul. He plays to the most of his ability and the most of an effort level every shift. He blocks shots, he's the type of player that can wear a letter, he's definitely part of the leadership group. He brings a lot of intangibles." It may surprise some fans to discover Gionta also brought offence, at least relatively speaking. Statistically, he was a solid second-liner. Despite an injury, he finished 40th among NHL right wings in scoring last year. His points-per-game pace was similar to that of Justin Williams. After a very slow start in Buffalo, he caught fire after returning from injury, piling up 16 points in 19 games down the stretch. Focused on the tank, most fans responded with mild annoyance if they noticed at all. Gionta enters the season low on the radar even though he played in all situations last year. Despite his role as captain and one of the team leaders in ice time, many seem to pencil him in as a 3rd or even 4th-liner. It will be interesting to see how he is used by the coaching staff and how he relates to players like Kane, Eichel and O’Reilly. Links to the rest of the series:

The last month of the season he convinced me. He is the driving force underlying this team and I think he is ready. Regardless of bringing Gionta back, Jack Eichel should be captain.