Zach Bogosian

Bogosian's NHL career took a 180-degree turn in February 2020. The Buffalo Sabres, on their way to missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, placed the 12-year defenseman on waivers Feb. 21, with the intention of terminating his contract. Two days later, he signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who went on to win the Stanley Cup. Bogosian, who had never played a postseason game since entering the NHL in 2008, averaged 17:40 of ice time in 20 playoff games and finished with four assists. The Atlanta Thrashers selected Bogosian with the No. 3 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, and he made the club out of training camp that fall. When he made his NHL debut against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 10, 2008, he became the youngest player in Thrashers history at 18 years and 87 days. Bogosian broke his left leg Oct. 28, 2008, in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers and was out until January. He scored his first NHL goal Jan. 17, 2009, against Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne, and led all NHL rookie defensemen with nine goals. He followed it up by playing for the United States at the 2009 IIHF World Championship. In 2009-10, Bogosian became the second Thrashers defenseman to reach double figures in goals in a season (Yannick Tremblay was the other) when he scored 10 goals and 33 points in 81 games despite playing much of the season with a broken left thumb. He also had 196 hits, a franchise record at the time. Bogosian continued to be productive with 17 points in 2010-11 and 30 points in 2011-12, the first season in Winnipeg for the franchise, which relocated and was renamed the Jets. Injuries limited him to 33 games in 2012-13, but Bogosian had a four-game point streak from April 11-20, 2013, and got his 100th NHL point April 16, 2013, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. On Feb. 11, 2015, the Jets traded Bogosian to the Buffalo Sabres with Evander Kane and Jason Kasdorf for Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, Joel Armia, Brendan Lemieux and a 2015 first-round draft pick. Bogosian made his Buffalo debut Feb. 15, 2015, against Philadelphia and led the Sabres in ice time in 17 of his 21 games with them that season. Bogosian got his 100th NHL assist on Jan. 16, 2016, against the Washington Capitals.