The 11-year veteran will make his postseason debut in Game 1 against Florida.
Zemgus Girgensons has anticipated this Tuesday for his entire life.
Girgensons, an 11-year NHL veteran who spent his first 10 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, will play his first career Stanley Cup Playoff game when the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Florida Panthers for Game One of the opening round on Tuesday.
“It means everything,” Girgensons said of reaching the playoffs. “I mean, that's what I've been playing for. Unfortunately I haven't experienced it yet, but I'm super excited to be part of it now.”
The 31-year-old forward is in the first season of a three-year contract he signed with Tampa Bay last offseason. His 174 hits this season led Tampa Bay and ranked 51st in the NHL.
The Lightning are headed to the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season, and the organization’s reputation as a Stanley Cup contender played a big part in Girgensons’ decision to sign with Tampa Bay.
As his playoff debut looms, Girgensons is sticking to his usual routine.
“I’ve watched it, so I know what the games are like. I’m just taking it day by day and preparing the way I prepare,” he said. “I don't think I'll treat it any differently than for another game.”
Girgensons has played 770 regular season games in the NHL between Buffalo and Tampa Bay. His first postseason appearance will mark an end to the fifth-most games played by a player in NHL history before making their playoff debut.
His first career playoff showing will halt the third-most games played without a playoff appearance among active players.
The name atop those lists belongs to Edmonton forward Jeff Skinner, whose 1,078-game run will also cease this season.
Skinner and Girgensons were teammates for six seasons in Buffalo from 2018-19 to 2023-2024. The longtime teammates have traded texts about their looming first playoff games.
For both, a playoff run has been a long time coming.
“Yeah, we’re both super excited. I’ve talked to him a little bit,” Girgensons said of Skinner. "But yeah, for me, being able to be here in Tampa Bay for that experience is great.”
Girgensons is ready. He believes his spirited, physical play lends itself to the win-at-all-costs mentality that accompanies the postseason.
His Lightning teammates think so, too. Girgensons was tasked with leading the team stretch following Saturday’s practice, the team’s first since closing the regular season on Thursday.
Defenseman Erik Cernak on Saturday said Girgensons has been a welcomed addition to the team.
"It's really exciting because he's been in the league for a long time,” Cernak said of Girgensons’ anticipated playoff debut. "He knows what kind of identity he brings here, what it takes to win, and he’s been a huge part of our success this year. So we're excited for him, and I'm sure he's gonna be a big help to this team in the playoffs."
After 11 seasons, Girgensons will find out firsthand this week.
That opportunity won’t go unappreciated by the Lightning forward.
"I’ve always thought that,” he said. “I think my type of play is somewhat like how hockey is played in the playoffs. So we'll see.”
