Right, and if the Selke award was voted on by the analytics community then Girgensons would have received several Selke votes.

But because the Mike Harrington’s and Paul Hamilton’s of the world didn’t have him on their ballot then I guess were the idiots right ?
- Swedish_Jesus

He absolutely would not have any votes, it's a 2-way forward award. You need to have offense to be a 2-way forward.

I’m all for improving the roster.

But pretending that Girgensons is an issue on your 4th line is the euqivalent of complaining about having Jeff Skinner on your first line.

We’re incessantly bit$&ing on here about things that aren’t problems.
- Swedish_Jesus

Again, no, because Jeff Skinner scores scads of goals and actually contributes. Whereas Girglesons doesn't have any offense, and is a "shutdown" winger on a team that allowed the 7th most goals last year.

Again, no, because Jeff Skinner scores scads of goals and actually contributes. Whereas Girglesons doesn't have any offense, and is a "shutdown" winger on a team that allowed the 7th most goals last year.
- Wetbandit1

Zemgus Girgensons is inverse Jeff Skinner.

One is elite offensively and as useful as a pylon defensively

The other is elite defensively and as useless as a pylon offensively.

Both players in the right role can be integral pieces to your team.

“Best relative xGA/60 last 2 seasons (Via NST)

1) Girgensons (-0.61)
2) Bergeron (-0.52)
3) Perry (-0.49)
4) Reinhart (-0.44)
5) Martin (-0.38)
6) Okposo (-0.37)

Putting up strong defensive numbers in a high octane system means you are doing something right individually.

Could you do better than Girgensons and Okposo ? Sure.

They are not problems though
- Swedish_Jesus

They are a no octane system when they are on the ice.

Greenway-Krebs-Rousek wouldn't be a problem either.

'Not a problem' is terrible mindset take into an offseason. Improve your middle six and stop prioritizing the 4th line.

Zemgus Girgensons is inverse Jeff Skinner.

One is elite offensively and as useful as a pylon defensively

The other is elite defensively and as useless as a pylon offensively.

Both players in the right role can be integral pieces to your team.
- Swedish_Jesus

Hypothetical. 32 teams in the NHL. They’re drafting rosters

Both Skinner and Girgensons are the same age and make the same money

Does a single GM pick Girgensons over Skinner? Not a chance

I don’t hate Girgensons. I rolled my eyes when he was brought back but it doesn’t bother me. I realize he’s good defensively

But being an elite offensive player is so much more important

This sounds like the asplund thing from last year.

Hypothetical. 32 teams in the NHL. They’re drafting rosters

Both Skinner and Girgensons are the same age and make the same money

Does a single GM pick Girgensons over Skinner? Not a chance

I don’t hate Girgensons. I rolled my eyes when he was brought back but it doesn’t bother me. I realize he’s good defensively

But being an elite offensive player is so much more important
- sbroads24

And both are overpaid by about $2M

Zemgus Girgensons is inverse Jeff Skinner.

One is elite offensively and as useful as a pylon defensively

The other is elite defensively and as useless as a pylon offensively.

Both players in the right role can be integral pieces to your team.
- Swedish_Jesus

I disagree. Skinner did not hurt the Sabres defensively last season. Now if you said Olo is the inverse girgensons, I might agree with ya.

This sounds like the asplund thing from last year.
- joshs

Difference being Girgensons has been doing it for several seasons whereas it appears Asplund was a one year wonder.

Hypothetical. 32 teams in the NHL. They’re drafting rosters

Both Skinner and Girgensons are the same age and make the same money

Does a single GM pick Girgensons over Skinner? Not a chance

I don’t hate Girgensons. I rolled my eyes when he was brought back but it doesn’t bother me. I realize he’s good defensively

But being an elite offensive player is so much more important
- sbroads24

Being elite offensively makes you the big bucks no doubt.

My gripe is when Girgensons becomes the fall guy when there were 4 Sabres players on the entire roster this year whose controllers didn’t disconnect once asked to defend.

The Sabres biggest climb in the standings will come when they can get at the very least average defensive metrics from Tage, Skinner, Cozens, Peterka, and Power.

Clifton and Johnson replacing Joker and Lybushkin should help.

Along with a goalie that can stop a beachball ti pair with Levi.

I do not remember many instances where a team finished top 3 in goals scored and missed the playoffs.

The Sabres were a special level of defensive and goaltending ineptitude this past year

Being elite offensively makes you the big bucks no doubt.

My gripe is when Girgensons becomes the fall guy when there were 4 Sabres players on the entire roster this year whose controllers didn’t disconnect once asked to defend.

The Sabres biggest climb in the standings will come when they can get at the very least average defensive metrics from Tage, Skinner, Cozens, Peterka, and Power.

Clifton and Johnson replacing Joker and Lybushkin should help.

Along with a goalie that can stop a beachball ti pair with Levi.

I do not remember many instances where a team finished top 3 in goals scored and missed the playoffs.

The Sabres were a special level of defensive and goaltending ineptitude this past year
- Swedish_Jesus

My gripe is running Greenway-Mitts-VO because the 4th line is the priority and change is hard.

My gripe is running Greenway-Mitts-VO because the 4th line is the priority and change is hard.
- Lunaion

The top 6 finished the year looking like this:

Skinner-Mitts-Tuch
Greenway-Cozens-Tage.

I would think Peterka-Krebs/Jost-Quinn was the plan for line 3 until Quinn got hurt.

The top 6 finished the year looking like this:

Skinner-Mitts-Tuch
Greenway-Cozens-Tage.

I would think Peterka-Krebs/Jost-Quinn was the plan for line 3 until Quinn got hurt.
- Swedish_Jesus

Highly doubt that. Healthy Tage means back to normal.

Highly doubt that. Healthy Tage means back to normal.
- Lunaion

I'm not so sure it'll be back to status quo from last season after an interview Granato gave to The Athletic where he talked about not being married to lines and specifically mentioned Casey centering the top line and Tage being paired with Cozens.

Highly doubt that. Healthy Tage means back to normal.
- Lunaion

Skinner-Mitts-Tuch had a ~ 57% xGF as a line in their sample size together.

Small sample size (112 even strength minutes) but tough to argue the results.

Skinner-Tage-Tuch had a 50.8% xGF together as a line.

Skinner-Mitts-Tuch had a ~ 57% xGF as a line in their sample size together.

Small sample size (112 even strength minutes) but tough to argue the results.

Skinner-Tage-Tuch had a 50.8% xGF together as a line.
- Swedish_Jesus

Girgs-Jost-Okposo 57%
Skinner-Mitts-Tuch 55%
Peterka-Cozens-Quinn 55%
Girgs-Krebs-Okposo 46%

What's it mean going into a new season? No clue. Trade Tage and waive Krebs?

I'm not so sure it'll be back to status quo from last season after an interview Granato gave to The Athletic where he talked about not being married to lines and specifically mentioned Casey centering the top line and Tage being paired with Cozens.
- kingcong39

They may try some things, but I'd bet on their best forward being on the top line when the dust settles.

Tuch Middlestadt Skinner
Peterka Cozens Thompson
Greenway Krebs ?
Girgenson Jost Okposo

Should of let Girgensons go and dropped Greenway down.

Realistic options?

What kind of lines are these? Yes let’s transfer our #1 centre to the RW on the second line 🤦‍♂️.

Skinner - Thompson - Tuch
Peterka - Cozens - Kulich/Quinn
Greenway - Mittelstadt - Kulich/Rousek/Jost
Girgensons - Krebs - Okposo

Samuelson - Dahlin
Power - Clifton/Johnson
Stillman - Clifton/Johnson/Jokiharju/Lybushkin

Levi
UPL
Comrie

Right, and if the Selke award was voted on by the analytics community then Girgensons would have received several Selke votes.

But because the Mike Harrington’s and Paul Hamilton’s of the world didn’t have him on their ballot then I guess were the idiots right ?
- Swedish_Jesus

Not sure if this was a joke or you were serious? Any chance you looked at the previous let’s say 10 Selke Trophy winners? Without even looking I can tell you that all of them had 60+ points. Girgensons has hit 20+ points twice and 30 points once. He’s never had 31 or more. He also hasn’t hit 20 points in 7 seasons.

This is the guy you think deserves a Selke trophy or a few votes?

Don’t think you were coherent when you wrote this down. Girgensons is the furthest thing from a Selke trophy nominee.

Skinner Tallness Tuch
Mitts Cozens Peterka
Kulich Krebs Rousek/Greenway
Greenway /Girgensons Nosek Greenway/Okposo

Just a reminder guys, they are going to try to sign their 1st round draft pick (Benson) this summer - my sauce said they are trying.

Just a reminder guys, they are going to try to sign their 1st round draft pick (Benson) this summer - my sauce said they are trying.
- washedup20

Be here just in time for Tuch to be a FA

Be here just in time for Tuch to be a FA
- Buff36

The 2026 draft has a handful of wingers with more upside than Tuch, its just a few years away and the potential roster in 2029 will be unstoppable. Tuch understands that now the roster is just a development group in the NHL. Okposo is the Dad and Tuch is the uncle - plenty of uncles out there.

Darcy was an extreme though, where he wouldn't trade one of his picks for the 2nd coming if he could help it.

There has to be some middle ground here. Hagel is our only massive miss recently, but I don't want more. The whole point of building through the draft is being patient.
- QuinnFan

Stiven Sardarian has showed lots of promise and could be an impact NHL player? How? What are you seeing that his meager stat line in college last year is not conveying?

Patience is great, but it doesn't work nearly as well if a team is going on year 4 or 5 of no playoffs under the same regime.

Management groups don't typically get that long to produce no results like that.

Peters has no sources
- Sabretooth9