Zemgus Girgensons

Zemgus Girgensons
Born	January 5, 1994 (1994-01-05) Riga, Lativa
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight	194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position	Forward
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Buffalo Sabres Rochester Americans
National team	Template:Country data Latvia
NHL Draft	14th overall, 2012 Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	2012–present

Zemgus Girgensons (born on January 5, 1994) is a Latvian ice hockey player currently playing for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL).

He was selected 14th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Sabres.

With this selection, Zemgus became the highest drafted Latvian in NHL history, sixteen spots higher than previous highest selection Sandis Ozolins in 1991.

In the previous year, he was selected in the 2nd round (28th overall) in the 2011 KHL Junior Draft by the CSKA.

Playing Career

Early Playing Career

Zemgus began playing hockey in EVHS hockey school and was coached by former Dinamo Rīga player Edmunds Vasiļjevs.

He played in Latvian minor and youth leagues.

Junior Playing Career

In 2009, Zemgus moved to North America and played in the EJHL for the Green Mountain Glades.

The next season, he moved to the USHL and played for the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

In 2011, Zemgus became the USHL champion with the Dubuque Fighting Saints and he also participated in the All-Star game.

In the 2011–12 season (his last season as a junior), he was named as the captain of the Fighting Saints.

Professional\NHL Career

Zemgus entered his draft eligibility year as a projected first round draft pick. He was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round (14th overall).

The Sabres had already used their first round pick selecting Mikhail Grigorenko with the 12th pick, but they traded a first round (21st overall) pick (from Nashville) which Calgary used to select Mark Jankowski and second round (42nd overall) pick to move up seven spots to draft Zemgus.

Before going in to the Sabres prospects summer camp, he had committed to going to the Vermont Catamounts of the NCAA, however, he signed a professional contract with the Sabres on July 13, 2012 which forfeits his NCAA eligibility.

Zemgus began the 2012–13 season in the AHL with the Rochester Americans and had a slow start to the season.

At the beginning of 2013, he suffered an injury from a late hit by Richard Panik, however, he did finish strong, scoring three goals in the Americans' first round defeat in the AHL playoffs.

After scoring 3 goals and adding one assist in five pre-season games, Zemgus began the 2013–14 season in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres.

On October 2, 2013 (in the Sabres' season opener), he scored his first NHL goal against Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings.

Career Statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009–10	Green Mountain Glades	EJHL		42	28	29	57	19		2	0	2	0	2
2010–11	Dubuque Fighting Saints	USHL		51	21	28	49	46		11	3	5	8	8
2011–12	Dubuque Fighting Saints	USHL		49	24	31	55	69		2	2	2	4	0
2012–13	Rochester Americans	AHL		61	6	11	17	28		3	3	0	3	0
USHL totals				100	45	59	104	115		13	5	7	12	8
AHL totals				61	6	11	17	28		3	3	0	3	0

International Statistics

Year	Team	Comp	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2010	Latvia	WJC U18	6	1	1	2	2
2011	Latvia	WJC D1	5	4	3	7	8
2012	Latvia	WJC	6	2	0	2	6
Junior int'l Totals			17	7	4	11	16

International Play

Zemgus participated at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships as a member of the Latvia men's national junior ice hockey team and at the 2010 IIHF World U18 Championships.

He made his national team debut in 2013 World Championships against U.S. and scored his first international goal against Slovakia.

Zemgus was also suspended for one game for spearing Branislav Mezei in first period of the match in retaliation of a hit.

On January 7, 2014 it was announced that Ted Nolan has included Zemgus for national team roster for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.