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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 2017-18. Pick one to see the two side by side, or choose someone else.

Tomas Nosek VGK · 15 P in 67 GP Brad Richardson ARI · 15 P in 76 GP Jordan Martinook ARI · 15 P in 81 GP Drew Stafford NJD · 15 P in 59 GP Ryan Carpenter VGK · 15 P in 52 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 5 0 1 1 0 2 6 15 0.20 $925K
13 seasons Career 849 100 115 215 -72 272 1185 1623 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

2017-18 season totals

GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Shooting % Avg TOI
71 7 8 15 -12 26 113 134 0.21 6.2 13:43

Contract

$1.6MCap hitends in 2019
$107KCap dollars per point15 points in 71 games
$2.978MCap dollars per goal above replacement0.5 goals above replacement
$955KWorth at the going ratewhat teams paid for a season like his
-$645KValueworth 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 691 ranked skaters whose contract is known. How value is worked out.

The contract

Signed by the Buffalo Sabres on Aug 17, 2017, as a new contract: 2 years and $3.2M, beginning in 2017-18. It runs through 2018-19, with 1 season left after this one.

Season Cap hit Base salary Signing bonus Performance bonuses Paid in all Clause
2017-18 $1.6M $1.6M $0 $1.6M
2018-19 $1.6M $1.6M $0 $1.6M

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 2017-18 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.

2017-18 analytics

Rating

+0.5Goals above replacement478th of 691 skaters, 320th of 451 forwards
+0.1Wins above replacementgoals above replacement divided by six
-2.2Goals above averagethe five parts below added up

Each number is coloured by where it ranks among the 451 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-2.7 14th percentileEven-strength defence+0.3 51st percentilePower play-0.1 39th percentilePenalty kill-0.6 5th percentilePenalties+0.9 72nd 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

48.5Corsi for %675 attempts for, 717 against
+1.6CF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
45.7Expected goals for %26.1 expected for, 31.0 against
+0.5xGF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
47.2Fenwick for %unblocked attempts
38.9Goals for %21 for, 33 against
97.5PDO5.4% shooting + 92.0% saves
149Attempts takenhis own shot attempts

Each share is coloured by where it ranks among the 600 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
Jason Pominville · Zemgus Girgensons · Jack Eichel1595:3150.051.67-4
Zemgus Girgensons · Sam Reinhart · Jack Eichel1289:1151.045.53-4
Ryan O'Reilly · Zemgus Girgensons · Sam Reinhart2382:0752.339.22-1
Kyle Okposo · Zemgus Girgensons · Jack Eichel1475:4445.939.61-4

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
9.2Expected goalsfrom 142 unblocked attempts
-2.2Goals above expectedgoals minus expected goals
Chances created 0.57 expected goals per 60 minutes20th
Shot quality 6.5% chance per attempt22nd
Finishing -2.2 goals above expected28thOne season of finishing is mostly luck.

Each bar shows the share of forwards he is ahead of, among the 423 who played 300 minutes or more this season.

02468Game 20Game 40Game 60Expected 9.2Goals 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 2, 2018 @ TOR L 2-5 0 0 0 -1 0 2 2 14:44
Mar 31, 2018 @ NSH W 7-4 0 1 1 -1 2 1 1 12:11
Mar 29, 2018 vs DET L 3-6 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 16:49
Mar 26, 2018 @ TOR W 3-2 0 2 2 1 0 2 0 18:38
Mar 24, 2018 @ NYR L 1-5 0 0 0 -2 0 1 1 16:05
Mar 23, 2018 vs MTL L 0-3 0 0 0 -1 0 1 5 17:36
Mar 17, 2018 vs CHI W 5-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 02:56
Mar 15, 2018 vs TOR L 2-5 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 14:14
Mar 10, 2018 vs VGK L 1-2 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 16:51
Mar 8, 2018 @ OTT W 4-3 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 21:29
Mar 7, 2018 vs CGY L 1-5 0 0 0 -2 0 2 3 17:13
Mar 5, 2018 vs TOR W 5-3 1 0 1 2 2 2 7 18:02
Mar 2, 2018 @ FLA L 1-4 0 0 0 -2 0 0 1 14:56
Feb 28, 2018 @ TBL W 2-1 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 20:54
Feb 25, 2018 vs BOS W 4-1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 17:45
Feb 24, 2018 @ WSH L 1-5 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 14:58
Feb 22, 2018 @ DET W 3-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 12:32
Feb 19, 2018 vs WSH L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 13:49
Feb 17, 2018 vs LAK L 2-4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 12:47
Feb 15, 2018 @ OTT L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 13:53
Feb 13, 2018 vs TBL W 5-3 0 1 1 1 4 1 0 10:15
Feb 11, 2018 vs COL L 4-5 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 11:16
Feb 8, 2018 vs NYI W 4-3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 16:46
Feb 6, 2018 vs ANA L 3-4 (OT) 1 0 1 1 0 5 1 17:28
Feb 3, 2018 vs STL L 0-1 0 0 0 -1 2 1 3 11:56
Feb 1, 2018 vs FLA L 2-4 1 0 1 1 0 5 0 11:04
Jan 30, 2018 vs NJD L 1-3 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 15:51
Jan 25, 2018 @ VAN W 4-0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 15:46
Jan 23, 2018 @ EDM W 5-0 1 0 1 1 0 1 4 13:31
Jan 22, 2018 @ CGY W 2-1 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 17:52
Jan 20, 2018 vs DAL L 1-7 0 0 0 -2 0 4 1 13:58
Jan 18, 2018 @ NYR L 3-4 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 15:24
Jan 11, 2018 vs CBJ W 3-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 12:03
Jan 9, 2018 vs WPG L 4-7 0 0 0 -1 0 2 3 15:47
Jan 7, 2018 @ PHI L 1-4 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 14:18
Jan 5, 2018 @ WPG L 3-4 0 0 0 -1 2 0 0 11:29
Jan 4, 2018 @ MIN L 2-6 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 13:57
Jan 1, 2018 vs NYR L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 0 2 2 13:06
Dec 29, 2017 @ NJD W 4-3 (OT) 0 1 1 1 2 0 2 13:20
Dec 27, 2017 @ NYI L 2-3 (OT) 1 0 1 0 0 4 4 14:14
Dec 23, 2017 @ CAR L 2-4 1 0 1 1 0 1 4 17:33
Dec 22, 2017 vs PHI W 4-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 17:04
Dec 19, 2017 vs BOS L 0-3 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 10:25
Dec 15, 2017 vs CAR L 4-5 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 2 5 1 17:02
Dec 14, 2017 @ PHI L 1-2 0 1 1 1 0 2 7 15:09
Dec 12, 2017 vs OTT W 3-2 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 14:32
Dec 10, 2017 @ STL L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 11:18
Dec 2, 2017 @ PIT L 1-5 0 0 0 -1 0 1 6 12:38
Dec 1, 2017 vs PIT L 0-4 0 0 0 -2 0 2 1 10:30
Nov 28, 2017 vs TBL L 0-2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 08:47
Nov 25, 2017 @ MTL L 0-3 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 11:42
Nov 24, 2017 vs EDM W 3-1 0 0 0 -1 0 3 1 10:40
Nov 22, 2017 vs MIN L 4-5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 06:32
Nov 20, 2017 vs CBJ L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 15:10
Nov 18, 2017 vs CAR L 1-3 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 09:31
Nov 17, 2017 @ DET L 1-3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 11:03
Nov 14, 2017 @ PIT L 4-5 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 10:24
Nov 11, 2017 @ MTL L 1-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 10:08
Nov 10, 2017 vs FLA L 1-4 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 12:43
Nov 7, 2017 vs WSH W 3-1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 11:37
Nov 4, 2017 @ DAL L 1-5 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 13:54
Nov 2, 2017 @ ARI W 5-4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 15:19
Oct 28, 2017 vs SJS L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10:17
Oct 25, 2017 @ CBJ L 1-5 0 0 0 -1 2 1 3 14:37
Oct 17, 2017 @ VGK L 4-5 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 02:30
Oct 15, 2017 @ ANA W 3-1 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 18:15
Oct 14, 2017 @ LAK L 2-4 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 16:17
Oct 12, 2017 @ SJS L 2-3 0 2 2 1 0 1 5 14:09
Oct 9, 2017 vs NJD L 2-6 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 13:47
Oct 7, 2017 @ NYI L 3-6 0 0 0 -1 0 2 1 09:44
Oct 5, 2017 vs MTL L 2-3 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 12:24