Mike Sgarbossa is one of those veteran AHLers that hardly gets NHL playing time but this past season saw him suit up for 10 games with the Washington Capitals while spending the rest of the season leading the Hershey Bears. Let’s see how he did.
Sgarbossa scored two goals and added two assists with the Capitals for four points. Not bad. His first came on Thanksgiving Eve at home against the Montreal Canadiens and then a road contest less than a month later against the Winnipeg Jets. Both wins.
Sgarbossa also averaged 9:54 minutes of ice time per game as well as two blocked shots and seven hits with a plus minus of plus three. He did not suit up for the Caps in the playoffs. In 30 games with the Bears, Sgarbossa recorded 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points. In the Calder Cup playoffs he scored a goal in three games.
Sgarbossa had decent advanced stats. He was third on the team in Corsi For percentage at 55.38 percent, an Expected Goals For percentage at 62.56 percent and a 62.86 percent High Danger Chances For percentage, per Natural Stat Trick.
The Caps are trying to get younger which puts Sgarbossa in a weird spot entering training camp next season. He has one more year left until he can become an unrestricted free agent and he’s 29 years old.
If you’re trying to get younger you gotta go low to mid 20s not high 20s to early 30s. Sgarbossa is in that awkward spot in the middle. But he’ll likely be with the Bears next season for the most part. Maybe he slots in if more injuries occur.
Grade B: Sgarbossa did pretty much all he was asked to do during his brief but necessary call ups with the Capitals. You can’t really complain about that. And he’s great in Hershey.