Total Season Stats: 65 GP | 3 G | 16 A | 19 P
Age: 28
Contract Status: One-year, $5.142 million cap hit
After only playing 19 games in the 2017-2018 season, Zach Bogosian was expected to bounce back and play a key part on the Sabres blue line this season. While Bogosian did play more games for Buffalo this season, 46 more to be exact, the results were mixed.
Bogosian is an interesting player. Drafted as somewhat of an offensive defenseman, Bogosian has never lived up to that title, scoring a career-high 30 points in the 2011-12 season with Winnipeg. He has become more of a defensive defenseman in the NHL.
Bogosian has become somewhat of an enforcer for the Sabres and has no doubt become a leader in the locker room. Bogosian was routinely one of the first Sabres’ to stand up for his teammates and was certainly not afraid to drop the gloves. Bogosian recorded four fights this season, the most of any Sabres player.
Considering the increase in games played, this was a solid bounce-back season for Bogosian. Bogosian was often paired with young defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Lawrence Pilut. He was able to provide a steady presence for the defensemen in both of their first NHL seasons.
Offensively, you don’t necessarily look for a lot from Bogosian because his style of play has shifted. Defensively he was a little up and down, but it largely depended on who his defense partner was.
Bogosian ranked third among defensemen in terms of plus/minus with a -5 rating, just behind Brandon Montour and Jake McCabe (-4 each), and Casey Nelson (+1). His 19 points were also enough to be the fourth most among defensemen, behind Dahlin, Montour and Rasmus Ristolainen.
When debating what Bogosian’s season grade should be, taking what he is paid into consideration is an important component.
Bogosian is one of those players where you are happy with his play and production if he is making somewhere in the $2-3 million range, not his current cap hit around $5 million.
When looking at the players who have a similar cap hit to Bogosian, it might make you cringe. Morgan Rielly, Justin Faulk and Ryan McDonagh all make less than Bogosian. While Seth Jones, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Dougie Hamilton all make under a million more than Bogosian.
For the production and play, Bogosian isn’t worth the cap hit and this season he did not live up to the expectations that come with his salary.
Bogosian is still under contract with the Sabres for next season and will be recovering from hip surgery when next season begins. Only time will tell if Bogosian will ever live up to his contract while with the Sabres.
Season Grade: C+
What grade would you give Zach Bogosian this season?
| A | 5 |
| B | 95 |
| C | 113 |
| D | 43 |
| F | 8 |