This afternoon, the Buffalo Sabres announced that veteran defenseman Zach Bogosian has been placed on unconditional waivers with the intention of terminating his contract.
We have placed defenseman Zach Bogosian on unconditional waivers with the intention of terminating his contract.
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 21, 2020
Following the 29-year-old’s failure to report to the Rochester Amerks after clearing waivers last week, this was the logical next step for the organization. In 242 games spanning parts of five seasons with the Sabres, the Massena, NY native posted 67 points.
Often sidelined by injury, Bogosian never became what former general manager, Tim Murray imagined when he acquired him as part of the deal with the Winnipeg Jets that brought Evander Kane to Buffalo. According to reports, Jason Botterill did attempt to trade him prior to placing him on waivers. He even offered to retain 50-percent of Bogosian’s salary.
Ultimately, a deal could not be reached, and following his refusal to report to the AHL, the Sabres brass was left with no choice. While fans will mostly be excited to see the team take another step to loosen their defensive logjam, the move is likely a more melancholy ordeal for Sabres’ captain Jack Eichel, who has referred to Bogosian as his best friend in the league on more than one occasion.