Zach Bogosian

[shadow1]

Bogosian hasn't lived up to expectations (drafted 3rd overall between Doughty and Pietrangelo), but he's had a fine career.

One of only two Atlanta Thrasher drafted players to win the Stanley Cup (Braydon Coburn).

 

[JoVel]

Don't feel sad for him. Dude was a substantial contributor to those teams being bad.

Those teams were also a substantial contributor to Bogosian looking like a bum. Unless he miraculously became a serviceable NHL player as soon as he got out of there.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Those teams were also a substantial contributor to Bogosian looking like a bum. Unless he miraculously became a serviceable NHL player as soon as he got out of there.

Yeah, I'm sure the first 10 years of his career were just a mirage. It's the last 2 years, where he definitely hasn't been propped up by an elite team and coach while playing a small role, that show what a good player he really is.

 

[Master P]

Love me some Bogo.

 

[Chainshot]

Yeah, I'm sure the first 10 years of his career were just a mirage. It's the last 2 years, where he definitely hasn't been propped up by an elite team and coach while playing a small role, that show what a good player he really is.

Almost as though when teams when from relying on him to be the player he was drafted to be and then paid to be, they got better and when he took a salary and role that fits the substantial limitations of his game, he became effective.

 

[StreetHawk]

I think this reflects more on the quality of the class (pretty bad) than on Bogo's accomplishment. Particularly the forwards. Stamkos, Atkinson, Eberle, Bailey, Stepan, Henrique, Nyquist, Matt Martin, Boedker, Colin Wilson, Tyler Ennis....Zac Rinaldo?

Bogo was also so physically mature which was ultimately a key reason why he went ahead of AP. Who needed the full 4 years in the CHL before being nhl ready.

Bogo was ideal for his era up to like 2016, big physical, strong, decent enough puck skills. But injuries and a changing game for him like Luke a Schenn.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Is that the best D-man draft year?

 

[KingsHockey24]

Underwhelming.

I wanted him over Doughty. Now he's an alright #6D.

 

[Chainshot]

Bogo was also so physically mature which was ultimately a key reason why he went ahead of AP. Who needed the full 4 years in the CHL before being nhl ready.

Bogo was ideal for his era up to like 2016, big physical, strong, decent enough puck skills. But injuries and a changing game for him like Luke a Schenn.

Ideal? He was hurt all the time. Any team relying on him to be a regular contributor to anything was looking at him being out a minimum of 20 games for most of the decade. His time with both the Jets and Sabres was marked by injury due to how he prepared himself in the off-season and his off-ice habits in-season. Unreliable would be one word to describe him. Which is why as a part-time #6 he's looked okay the last few seasons, but even this year, when Tampa started to rely on him, he came out of the lineup yet again for weeks.

 

[sabremike]

Ideal? He was hurt all the time. Any team relying on him to be a regular contributor to anything was looking at him being out a minimum of 20 games for most of the decade. His time with both the Jets and Sabres was marked by injury due to how he prepared himself in the off-season and his off-ice habits in-season. Unreliable would be one word to describe him. Which is why as a part-time #6 he's looked okay the last few seasons, but even this year, when Tampa started to rely on him, he came out of the lineup yet again for weeks.

"Off-ice habits" is certainly one way of putting it. GMTM made tons of awful decisions but the Bogo/Kane trade is likely the absolute worst.

 

[BruinsBtn]

It’s interesting that he’s found a home as #5-6 on TB- he was released by Buffalo. That’s.. that’s borderline outta the league. Worst team (at the time) had him on the market and no one called. We waived him because he sucks. And TB takes Buffalo’s trash and makes nontrash. Lame. Stop Erodding people.

He works well in TB because Vasy is so good at playing the puck. Bogosian is slow and forechecks eat him up but it's very tough to forecheck TB because Vasy is the best puckhandling goalie of all time.

 

[biturbo19]

A bit of a disappointment, but certainly not a "bust". Serves as a good reminder that draft prospects is a marathon, not a sprint. How quickly he "arrived" at the NHL level out of the draft made it seem like he was going to be the next big thing. He just never really grew much as a player from that point. And ran into all sorts of injury issues along the way. Peaked early i guess. But still a useful player.

 

[Rhodes 81]

He was pretty impressive his first two years but then injuries started adding up and his offensive potential fell off a cliff. He only played close to a full season once in his career.

He could have been a dynamic, physical goal scoring threat, but his passing was never particularly impressive and he wasn't quite a smart enough player to make up for all the injuries. Still, for the career he ended up carving out for himself I think you could say it was successful if he had been picked in the late 1st round. Disappointing as a top 5 pick. If his goal scoring had kept up to his early pace it might have been a different story.

...starting to see why the Atlanta Thrashers never won a playoff game.

Our existence was pain.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Now that he’s not getting paid $5.6 M a year, he’s tolerable.

He’s probably the only player who has had a long career that can get a sunburn in the moonlight and miss 3 months because of it.

 

[BowDownToVasilevskiy]

He definitely didn't make expectations as a 3rd overall pick but he's good in his role on the Bolts.

 

[Sky04]

He works well in TB because Vasy is so good at playing the puck. Bogosian is slow and forechecks eat him up but it's very tough to forecheck TB because Vasy is the best puckhandling goalie of all time.

Where do you get this? Vasi is not great at playing the puck.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

He's an average player at best and that's probably putting it nicely. That's not what you are hoping for with the 3rd pick in any draft.

He works well in TB because Vasy is so good at playing the puck. Bogosian is slow and forechecks eat him up but it's very tough to forecheck TB because Vasy is the best puckhandling goalie of all time.

What on Earth.....

 

[TheRumble]

He's basically Luke Schenn. Didn't live up to his draft position but had a admirable NHL career as an okay bottom pairing guy.

Guys like Bogosian were gradually being phased out of the league around the same time they were drafted. A lot of GMs at the time still believed you needed a big refrigerator on skates type of guy as a 1D to be good which led to guys like Bogosian and Schenn being drafted and Mike Komisarek being given big contracts.

 

[BruinsBtn]

Where do you get this? Vasi is not great at playing the puck.

Vasy is the best ever and it's not even close.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

He was the 3rd overall pick in 2008 - a draft full of promising defensemen. Has he lived up to expectations?

Absolutely not.

Atlanta drafted poorly, and this is a pretty good example of that. Chevy then paid him as if he were a #1 D which he never was. Pretty low hockey IQ combined with injuries.

Not a bust of course, but in hindsight, he clearly should not have been #3 overall.

 

[Voight]

Rough go between playing on some bad teams for most of his career as well as injuries.

He's found a good spot in Tampa; hence why after his one year in Toronto he went back and signed for 3 years. I wouldn't be surprised if he stuck around there beyond that.

 

[TheFinalWord]

I liked him in Toronto. He's a perfect 3rd pair guy. Can skate, play physical, fight and seems like a good team guy. I was disappointed when he signed with Tampa. Happy for the guy.

 

[Reality Czech]

He’s gotta be one of the only guys still playing without a visor?

They are a dying breed for sure. O'Reilly, Lucic, Thornton, Chara, Reaves and not many more. I know I'm forgetting a couple.

Bogo is just one of many players fans declared "finished" before they were actually finished. Just because he didn't become a perennial all-star doesn't mean he was a bust. Solid career for him.

 

[More 2004]

He has had a solid career and we are very happy to call him ours.

 

[MS]

He's basically Luke Schenn. Didn't live up to his draft position but had a admirable NHL career as an okay bottom pairing guy.

Guys like Bogosian were gradually being phased out of the league around the same time they were drafted. A lot of GMs at the time still believed you needed a big refrigerator on skates type of guy as a 1D to be good which led to guys like Bogosian and Schenn being drafted and Mike Komisarek being given big contracts.

It's crazy how closely the careers of Bogosian and Schenn have paralleled each other.

- top-5 picks
- quickly to the NHL as teenagers on bad teams, impact rookies who appeared to have a bright future
- stagnated on those bad teams, were exposed as limited players, but still overpaid and overplayed and ineffective in too big of a role for years
- went through several organizations before bottoming out on a bottom-feeder and appearing nearly finished.
- career rejuvenation when put into a #6-7 role on an elite TB team