Tip of the Hat to Zemgus

[K-9]

I noticed in today's stats that Girgs is only -2 on the year in all 13 games played so far. I don't hold up plus/minus as the be all, end all stat, but in this case, it's amazing and truly telling of his effort on the ice. A -2, while on the ice for an average of 17+ minutes a game on a team with a goal differential like ours? I think that's an accomplishment.

 

And he's STILL only 20 years old. Can't wait until he's a captain.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[LGR4GM]

I think this thread needs a revive. Let's talk about Zemgus. Is he our best forward currently? What is his ceiling? Will he be captain in 2 years? What will he look like in the playoffs.

 

I would say he is easily our best forward. No one comes close to his work ethic or skill. If we had 5 more of him our top 6 would be actually competitive. So what does Sabreland think of Zemgus "The Lion" Girgensons?

[Iron Crotch]

I think this thread needs a revive. Let's talk about Zemgus. Is he our best forward currently? What is his ceiling? Will he be captain in 2 years? What will he look like in the playoffs.

 

I would say he is easily our best forward. No one comes close to his work ethic or skill. If we had 5 more of him our top 6 would be actually competitive. So what does Sabreland think of Zemgus "The Lion" Girgensons?

 

When I evaluate any player I always ask: "is this the kind of player you see on Cup winning teams?" I have always made a delineation between "regular season players" and "post-season players." Plenty of guys can succeed in the regular season, but when the game turns into a war as it tends to in the playoffs, some guys rise to the challenge and some wilt under the pressure. My long-running criticism of Pommer was that I put him into the "regular season player" category. A guy who can get you there, but can't carry you to the Cup (debatable, of course, but that was my perception). In Gus' case I see him as a guy you can win a Cup with. He has the tenacity to give 100% on every shift and has the ability to score "dirty goals" of the sort that are prevalent in the playoffs. And, he is already a solid two-way player at a young age. And, if the goal is a Cup and not just making the playoffs, then Gus is the sort of player we need.

 

Unfortunately, it looks like it'll be a long time before we know what sort of playoff player he is!

[K-9]

... Unfortunately, it looks like it'll be a long time before we know what sort of playoff player he is!

 

I have a hunch he's gonna be just like he is now, only more experienced and more intense: hard to play against. Seems like every shift he plays the opponent knows he's been tested.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[inkman]

I noticed in today's stats that Girgs is only -2 on the year in all 13 games played so far. I don't hold up plus/minus as the be all, end all stat, but in this case, it's amazing and truly telling of his effort on the ice. A -2, while on the ice for an average of 17+ minutes a game on a team with a goal differential like ours? I think that's an accomplishment.

 

And he's STILL only 20 years old. Can't wait until he's a captain.

 

GO SABRES!!!

I don't understand the unending desire to make him captain. A captain is a player who wears a C on his sweater, talks to officials when there are penalties and takes ceremonial face offs. I don't care if Gus ever does any of those things.

 

If he's a leader, he'll lead and others will follow. If he's just a decent hard working player that we can rely on but never wears a letter, I'll be perfectly happy.

 

It's rely hard to predict what he'll become. He does a lot of little things well. Not sure if he does them well enough to be a fist line player.

[K-9]

I don't understand the unending desire to make him captain. A captain is a player who wears a C on his sweater, talks to officials when there are penalties and takes ceremonial face offs. I don't care if Gus ever does any of those things.

 

If he's a leader, he'll lead and others will follow. If he's just a decent hard working player that we can rely on but never wears a letter, I'll be perfectly happy.

 

It's rely hard to predict what he'll become. He does a lot of little things well. Not sure if he does them well enough to be a fist line player.

 

There's no rule that says your C has to be a first line player or even your most talented. But perhaps I should have said that while I look forward to when he is given the letter, I'm in no hurry, either. My main point is that even now, at 20, he is the most consistent player we have in terms of bringing maximum effort EVERY shift. And he seems to demand accountability after losses when I hear him comment. Those are the two most important traits I want to see. He just a great example for the young players coming up in the system. Hell, the older ones can learn something from his ethic.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[LTS]

Girgensons full potential has not been realized yet and that excites me.

 

I'm not going to go all poetic or hyperbolic on the guy but he just flat out has the right stuff.

 

He avoids big hits, the puck sticks to him, he makes strong plays, beats up other players physically with his relentlessness, and can score goals. He seems to even be improving in that category.

 

I think when it all plays out he's going to be a perennial Selke trophy candidate. Think about this, he went a LONG time last year before he received his first penalty. This year he has 4 PIM which I find incredible given how often he is hacking at other players and hanging all over them. He finds a way to do this without a hooking, slashing, or tripping call.

 

The scary thing for me is that he looks this good on a team this bad. It's not that he looks that much better by comparison, it's that he could be that much better if he wasn't picking up slack elsewhere. Imagine what kind of player he is if you drop him onto the Blackhawks right now.

 

I think I can sum up my feeling on Girgensons simply with "He's got it. He gets it. He's THAT kind of player."

[LGR4GM]

Zemgus is 3rd in pts, 2nd in goals and first in +/- for forwards. 4g, 4a, in 18 games. He had 8goals in 70 games last season. The thing I always seem to forget about him is that this is only his 2nd year in the league. His on ice maturity makes me think he's 27 and been there before.

[Weave]

I've mentioned before that Zemgus reminds me of Rod Brindamour. I'm getting more and more of that as the season wears on. The kid is all right.

[inkman]

I've mentioned before that Zemgus reminds me of Rod Brindamour. I'm getting more and more of that as the season wears on. The kid is all right.

 

That sounds familiar

 

 

I am. Probably trying to counter balance all the hype. He's great, I love him. I think he'll be a more durable Rod Brindamour. I just don't want people thinking he's first line material because his hands are still questionable.

Edited November 16, 2014 by inkman

[Weave]

That sounds familiar

 

That's probably dated from before I first mentioned the similarity. You got dibs. He seems to play a game along the lines of Rod the Bod. And it seems like he's developing a similar offensive game. Maybe a little better stick handling.

Edited November 16, 2014 by weave

[inkman]

That's probably dated from before I first mentioned the similarity. You got dibs. He seems to play a game along the lines of Rod the Bod. And it seems like he's developing a similar offensive game. Maybe a little better stick handling.

To be fair, I didn't think he had the hands he showed since I posted that last December. He's hard to peg. I'm curious if he's more finisher than playmaker.

[dudacek]

To be fair, I didn't think he had the hands he showed since I posted that last December. He's hard to peg. I'm curious if he's more finisher than playmaker.

 

I think that's right. One-on-one with the goalie or d-man is the only time we see any trickery.

Brind'Amour is a good comparison, but I still prefer the one to Ryan Kesler.

 

How long to Zemgus starts dominating the face-off dot? I have no doubt it will happen.

[darksabre]

If Girgs turns into Brindamour then I will be ecstatic. I hated that guy.

[Weave]

If Girgs turns into Brindamour then I will be ecstatic. I hated that guy.

 

It was respect hate in my case. Loved his game. Hated that he used it for evil.

[darksabre]

 

 

It was respect hate in my case. Loved his game. Hated that he used it for evil.

 

Exactly. Brindamour and Jagr are probably my all time respect hate top two.

[Weave]

Exactly. Brindamour and Jagr are probably my all time respect hate top two.

 

Funny. I didn't really respect Jagr. I thought he could have played harder and been less of a whiner. Whalers/Canes had a couple of my top respect hates, Brindamour and Shanahan way up there on the hate respect list. Dineen too.

[Eleven]

Funny. I didn't really respect Jagr. I thought he could have played harder and been less of a whiner. Whalers/Canes had a couple of my top respect hates, Brindamour and Shanahan way up there on the hate respect list. Dineen too.

 

Same with Jagr, and since Brind'Amour pretty much broke in as a Flyer, screw him. Never had a problem with Dineen, and never had a problem with Shanny until he was at the league HQ.

[Robviously]

When we drafted Grigorenko and Girgensons, a lot of people talked about those two becoming our 1 and 2 centers, respectively someday. That all went out the window when the Tank program started and we've been talking about Reinhart and (hopefully) McEichel being the guys someday.

 

But watching Girgensons this season -- as a 20 year old -- I'm starting to wonder what his ceiling actually is. Could he be the no.2 center on a contender in ~3 years? It definitely doesn't seem nuts when you consider the one-on-one battles he wins and the moves he pulls off on breakaways. Fingers crossed.

[Weave]

Same with Jagr, and since Brind'Amour pretty much broke in as a Flyer, screw him. Never had a problem with Dineen, and never had a problem with Shanny until he was at the league HQ.

 

This franchise, hell, this community, needs a hate respect guy for other teams fans. C'mon Zemgus, we need you.

[WildCard]

When we drafted Grigorenko and Girgensons, a lot of people talked about those two becoming our 1 and 2 centers, respectively someday. That all went out the window when the Tank™ program started and we've been talking about Reinhart and (hopefully) McEichel being the guys someday.

McEichel/Samson may bring all the talent you need, but I think Zemgus may be the most important piece of it when it's all said and done.

 

But watching Girgensons this season -- as a 20 year old -- I'm starting to wonder what his ceiling actually is. Could he be the no.2 center on a contender in ~3 years? It definitely doesn't seem nuts when you consider the one-on-one battles he wins and the moves he pulls off on breakaways. Fingers crossed.

Makes you think Grigorenko may be expendable, someone to use in a trade for some prominent RW prospect....

 

 

:ph34r:

Edited November 17, 2014 by WildCard