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Zemgus Girgensons

#28 · Centre · Tampa Bay Lightning

Born Jan 5, 1994 in Riga, LVA (age 32) · 6'3", 200 lb · Shoots left · Drafted 14th overall in 2012 by BUF (round 1)

Compare with a similar player

The forwards closest to him in points in 2015-16. Pick one to see the two side by side, or choose someone else.

Micheal Ferland CGY · 18 P in 71 GP Mike Santorelli ANA · 18 P in 70 GP Jared McCann VAN · 18 P in 69 GP Tommy Wingels SJS · 18 P in 68 GP David Jones MIN · 18 P in 75 GP

Career

Regular season games only. Pick a season to see its game log below. Cap hit is what he counted against the salary cap that season, where it is known.

01020302013-14: 22 points2213-142014-15: 30 points3014-152015-16: 18 points1815-162016-17: 16 points1616-172017-18: 15 points1517-182018-19: 18 points1818-192019-20: 19 points1919-202021-22: 18 points1821-222022-23: 18 points1822-232023-24: 14 points1423-242024-25: 6 points624-252025-26: 20 points2025-262026-27: 1 points126-27

Points by season. The darker bar is the season shown below.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Cap hit
2013-14 BUF 70 8 14 22 -6 14 115 161 0.31 $894K
2014-15 BUF 61 15 15 30 -16 25 115 127 0.49 $894K
2015-16 BUF 71 7 11 18 0 20 110 125 0.25 $894K
2016-17 BUF 75 7 9 16 -7 18 112 120 0.21 $1.15M
2017-18 BUF 71 7 8 15 -12 26 113 134 0.21 $1.6M
2018-19 BUF 72 5 13 18 -11 17 78 144 0.25 $1.6M
2019-20 BUF 69 12 7 19 -1 10 85 110 0.28 $1.6M
2021-22 BUF 56 10 8 18 -7 27 92 81 0.32 $2.2M
2022-23 BUF 80 10 8 18 -5 14 114 96 0.23 $2.2M
2023-24 BUF 63 8 6 14 -1 21 73 141 0.22 $2.5M
2024-25 TBL 82 2 4 6 -7 47 83 174 0.07 $850K
2025-26 TBL 74 9 11 20 1 31 89 195 0.27 $850K
2026-27 TBL 4 0 1 1 0 2 2 13 0.25 $925K
13 seasons Career 848 100 115 215 -72 272 1181 1621 0.25

Playoffs

Playoff games only. Pick a season to see that year's bracket.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP
2024-25 TBL 5 0 0 0 0 0 3 13 0.00
2025-26 TBL 7 0 0 0 -2 4 2 27 0.00
2 seasons Playoffs 12 0 0 0 -2 4 5 40 0.00

2015-16 season totals

GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Shooting % Avg TOI
71 7 11 18 0 20 110 125 0.25 6.4 15:02

Contract

$894KCap hitends in 2016, then RFA
$50KCap dollars per point18 points in 71 games
$183KCap dollars per goal above replacement4.9 goals above replacement
$3.6MWorth at the going ratewhat teams paid for a season like his
+$2.8MValueworth minus cap hit; below zero is overpaid

His cap hit for the whole season, set against what he did in the regular season. Lower is better value. In a season still being played the cost per point starts high and falls as the games add up. Value is coloured by where it ranks among the 668 ranked skaters whose contract is known. How value is worked out.

The contract

Signed by the Buffalo Sabres on Jul 15, 2012, as an entry-level contract: 3 years and $4.2M, beginning in 2013-14. It runs through 2015-16, so this is its last season, after which he is a restricted free agent.

Season Cap hit Base salary Signing bonus Performance bonuses Paid in all Clause
2013-14 $894K $833K $93K $700K $925K
2014-15 $894K $833K $93K $700K $925K
2015-16 $894K $833K $0 $25K $833K

Each season of the contract, with this one marked. The cap hit is the same every year; what he is paid is not. The pay is as written when the contract was recorded in October 2024, so a later change, such as the rise in the lowest salary for 2026-27, is not shown.

Contracts he has signed

Signed Signed by Kind Seasons Years In all Cap hit
Jul 1, 2024 Tampa Bay Lightning New contract 2024-25 to 2026-27 3 $2.625M $850K
Jun 20, 2023 Buffalo Sabres Extension 2023-24 to 2023-24 1 $2.5M $2.5M
Oct 8, 2020 Buffalo Sabres Extension 2020-21 to 2022-23 3 $6.6M $2.2M
Jul 5, 2019 Buffalo Sabres New contract 2019-20 to 2019-20 1 $1.6M $1.6M
Aug 17, 2017 Buffalo Sabres New contract 2017-18 to 2018-19 2 $3.2M $1.6M
Sep 1, 2016 Buffalo Sabres New contract 2016-17 to 2016-17 1 $1.15M $1.15M
Jul 15, 2012 Buffalo Sabres Entry-level 2013-14 to 2015-16 signed for 2012-13, slid 3 $4.2M $894K

Every contract on record for him, newest first, with the team that signed him to it and the day it was signed. The one covering 2015-16 is marked. An extension is signed while the contract before it is still running, often a year ahead. A row with no team or date is a contract known only by its cap hit, most often one signed since October 2024.

2015-16 analytics

Rating

+4.9Goals above replacement204th of 675 skaters, 143rd of 445 forwards
+0.8Wins above replacementgoals above replacement divided by six
+1.9Goals above averagethe five parts below added up

Each number is coloured by where it ranks among the 445 ranked forwards: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile.

Even-strength offence-1.8 23rd percentileEven-strength defence+1.5 81st percentilePower play+0.0 67th percentilePenalty kill-0.7 4th percentilePenalties+2.9 98th percentile

The goals he added to his team's goal difference, compared with a spare-part player given the same ice time. Each part is measured against the league, so zero is an average skater, and the rank beside it is among forwards. A full season is about two-thirds the player and one-third chance. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

-2024682013-142015-162017-182019-202022-232024-252026-27Goals above replacementGoals above replacement, by season

On the ice

What happened at five-on-five while he was on the ice. What these numbers mean

49.1Corsi for %729 attempts for, 755 against
+2.0CF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
48.2Expected goals for %27.3 expected for, 29.4 against
+2.1xGF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
48.6Fenwick for %unblocked attempts
54.8Goals for %23 for, 19 against
101.1PDO5.9% shooting + 95.3% saves
158Attempts takenhis own shot attempts

Each share is coloured by where it ranks among the 561 skaters who played enough to be ranked: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile. PDO and attempts taken are left plain, since neither is good or bad on its own.

Who he played with

Forward lineGPTimeCF%xGF%Goals
Zemgus Girgensons · Sam Reinhart · Jack Eichel1670:4258.060.52-1
Brian Gionta · Johan Larsson · Zemgus Girgensons1766:5047.450.41-0
Brian Gionta · Matt Moulson · Zemgus Girgensons964:3055.156.01-1
Matt Moulson · Zemgus Girgensons · Jack Eichel947:2351.755.04-2

The lines he spent the most time in at five-on-five, with the team's share of the shot attempts and expected goals, and the goals for and against, while they were out. The two shares are coloured as above, against the league's lines that played a fair amount together. Hover over one for its percentile.

Chances and finishing

Expected goals adds up how likely each of his shots was to go in, judged by where it came from, what kind of shot it was and whether it was a rebound. All situations, leaving out shots at an empty net. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

7Goalsnot counting empty-netters
10.4Expected goalsfrom 141 unblocked attempts
-3.4Goals above expectedgoals minus expected goals
Chances created 0.58 expected goals per 60 minutes30th
Shot quality 7.4% chance per attempt47th
Finishing -3.4 goals above expected18thOne season of finishing is mostly luck.

Each bar shows the share of forwards he is ahead of, among the 412 who played 300 minutes or more this season.

0510Game 20Game 40Game 60Expected 10.4Goals 7

His goals and his expected goals as the season went on. When the goals line pulls away above, he is scoring more than his chances were worth; below, less.

Where he shot from

Every attempt he took this season, in all situations, attacking the net on the right. Darker red means more attempts from that spot, and each dot is a goal. "Show every shot" switches to a dot for each attempt, bigger for a better chance. Click a goal for its details.

Game log

Date Opponent Result G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits TOI
Apr 9, 2016 @ NYI W 4-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 16:21
Apr 8, 2016 vs CBJ L 1-4 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 16:20
Apr 5, 2016 @ NJD W 3-1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 15:01
Apr 2, 2016 @ NYR W 4-3 1 0 1 2 0 4 2 12:31
Mar 31, 2016 vs TOR W 4-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 14:53
Mar 29, 2016 @ PIT L 4-5 (SO) 0 0 0 -1 0 0 6 12:31
Mar 28, 2016 @ DET L 2-3 1 0 1 1 0 3 1 14:17
Mar 26, 2016 vs WPG W 3-2 0 1 1 2 0 4 6 15:00
Mar 22, 2016 @ CAR W 3-2 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 13:25
Mar 19, 2016 @ TOR L 1-4 0 0 0 -1 0 2 2 14:14
Mar 18, 2016 vs OTT W 3-1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 15:51
Mar 16, 2016 vs MTL L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16:32
Mar 12, 2016 vs CAR W 3-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 13:59
Mar 10, 2016 @ MTL L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 13:31
Mar 8, 2016 vs NYR L 2-4 0 0 0 -1 0 0 1 12:54
Mar 7, 2016 @ TOR W 4-3 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 14:10
Mar 5, 2016 vs MIN L 2-3 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 12:46
Mar 3, 2016 vs CGY W 6-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16:42
Mar 1, 2016 vs EDM L 1-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 2 3 2 18:57
Feb 27, 2016 @ LAK L 0-2 0 0 0 -1 0 0 1 15:34
Feb 26, 2016 @ SJS W 3-1 0 1 1 1 0 3 1 14:32
Feb 24, 2016 @ ANA L 0-1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 13:48
Feb 21, 2016 vs PIT L 3-4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 16:16
Feb 19, 2016 @ CBJ W 4-0 0 1 1 1 4 2 1 11:35
Feb 16, 2016 @ OTT L 1-2 (SO) 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 16:45
Feb 14, 2016 vs COL W 4-1 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 14:16
Feb 6, 2016 @ BOS L 1-2 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 0 1 4 16:25
Feb 4, 2016 vs BOS L 2-3 (SO) 0 0 0 -1 0 0 6 13:38
Feb 3, 2016 @ MTL W 4-2 0 1 1 1 0 1 4 16:12
Jan 26, 2016 @ OTT W 3-2 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 16:41
Jan 25, 2016 @ NYR L 3-6 2 0 2 1 0 2 1 14:34
Jan 15, 2016 vs BOS L 1-4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 03:05
Jan 12, 2016 @ MIN W 3-2 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 14:49
Jan 10, 2016 @ WPG W 4-2 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 13:29
Jan 8, 2016 @ CHI L 1-3 0 0 0 -1 0 4 2 14:18
Jan 5, 2016 vs FLA L 1-5 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 13:53
Jan 2, 2016 vs DET L 3-4 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 12:39
Dec 31, 2015 vs NYI L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 17:30
Dec 30, 2015 @ WSH L 2-5 1 1 2 0 0 3 1 16:36
Dec 28, 2015 vs WSH L 0-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 12:23
Dec 26, 2015 @ BOS W 6-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14:42
Dec 19, 2015 vs CHI L 2-3 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 15:14
Dec 17, 2015 vs ANA W 3-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 14:03
Dec 15, 2015 vs NJD L 0-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 14:00
Dec 14, 2015 @ DET W 2-1 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 14:32
Dec 12, 2015 vs LAK W 2-1 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 0 3 1 15:54
Dec 10, 2015 @ CGY L 3-4 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 15:10
Dec 7, 2015 @ VAN L 2-5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 14:05
Dec 6, 2015 @ EDM L 2-4 0 0 0 -1 2 0 2 11:50
Dec 4, 2015 vs ARI W 5-2 0 1 1 0 0 5 0 17:11
Dec 1, 2015 @ DET L 4-5 (SO) 1 1 2 0 0 3 1 16:32
Nov 28, 2015 @ NSH W 4-1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 14:56
Nov 27, 2015 vs CAR W 4-1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 14:04
Nov 25, 2015 vs NSH L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 14:41
Nov 14, 2015 vs SJS L 1-2 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 0 5 2 16:06
Nov 12, 2015 @ FLA W 3-2 0 0 0 0 2 2 5 16:26
Nov 10, 2015 @ TBL W 4-1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 16:33
Nov 7, 2015 vs VAN W 3-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 12:20
Nov 5, 2015 vs TBL L 1-4 0 0 0 -1 2 2 1 17:00
Nov 1, 2015 @ NYI W 2-1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 17:05
Oct 30, 2015 vs PHI W 3-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 20:27
Oct 29, 2015 @ PIT L 3-4 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 18:32
Oct 27, 2015 @ PHI W 4-3 (OT) 1 0 1 0 0 5 2 17:22
Oct 24, 2015 vs NJD L 3-4 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 15:53
Oct 23, 2015 vs MTL L 2-7 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 15:52
Oct 21, 2015 vs TOR W 2-1 (SO) 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 17:01
Oct 17, 2015 @ TBL L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 13:51
Oct 15, 2015 @ FLA L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 15:00
Oct 12, 2015 vs CBJ W 4-2 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 18:04
Oct 10, 2015 vs TBL L 1-4 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 17:58
Oct 8, 2015 vs OTT L 1-3 0 0 0 -1 0 2 2 16:17