There’s substance to his game

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This article was published 18/11/2014 (4072 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Picking holes in Zach Bogosian’s game used to be easy work, but if you want to badmouth his play right now you had better pack a lunch. It’ll take you all day to find fault.

Bogosian has stepped into his role on the Jets top pairing to ride shotgun with No. 1 defender Toby Enstrom and he’s made it look easy.

Actually, that might be the best way to describe Bogosian’s game these days. Playing defence in the NHL has become a far calmer bit of business for the 24-year-old in his seventh pro season.

Bogosian is relaxed and it shows.

“I’m real comfortable right now. Playing with Toby has a lot to do with that. He makes it easy. But I’m relaxed. You know what a big thing is for me right now? When I go out there against the other teams’ best players, I’m not worried about it,” said Bogosian.

“I know I can play with them and it’s just about going out there and doing my job. I’m moving my feet all the time. I’m not thinking as much and just reacting. The game seems easier.”

Bogosian was steady again Tuesday night, playing almost 22 minutes and picking up an assist as the Jets took a 3-1 win over the visiting New Jersey Devils.

During an onslaught of criticism over the past few seasons, whenever questioned about his place in the NHL, Bogosian was defiant. Whatever anyone said, Bogosian insisted he could play and do so at a high level.

“He’s been good. The last five or six games, really good,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice, supporting Bogosian’s argument.

Maurice has been leaning heavily on Enstrom and Bogosian. They play against the opposition’s best. Looking at the average time of ice played by the opposition the duo face, Enstrom and Bogosian play against other teams’ top lines and defence pairs more than any of their teammates and by a very wide margin.

While they’ve been asked to defend against the other teams’ best, they pair has continued to produce points with both averaging more than a point per 60 minutes of ice time. The only other Jet scoring at that clip is Blake Wheeler.

Bogosian’s Corsi rating during five-on-five situations is middle of the pack at 49.3 per cent.

Basically, the Jets evenly split shots for and shots against when Bogosian is on the ice and that’s a number he’d like to improve.

When the Jets are one man down on the penalty kill, Bogosian has excelled and is second in the NHL with 46.78 unblocked shot attempts allowed per 60 minutes in these situations.

The only player in the NHL ahead of him is his partner Enstrom — and only marginally.

Along with the Jets’ goaltending, this pair has been instrumental in Winnipeg’s sixth-ranked penalty-killing percentage of 87.7.

Injuries have kept Bogosian out of a rhythm for much of his career. Just when he gets up and running and building some confidence, he’s managed to get injured. All this on and off has retarded his progression as a player.

Bogosian has been a tease so far in his career. The strong stride, the big, athletic body and the booming shot have always suggested there was an elite player waiting to happen.

These talents have often betrayed Bogosian as well as he has tried to live up to expectations both internally and externally. Bogosian wanted to be a No. 1 himself and others have pegged his career as elite level or bust.

But Bogosian seems better suited as Enstrom’s trusty partner with more of an eye toward his own zone than the offensive.

Enstrom makes the first pass and leads the offensive surge while Bogosian backfills and makes sure there’s always a line of defence.

Not to say Bogosian can’t take off and lead the charge and find an opening to unload his cannon shot from time to time.

But it can’t be his top priority. Defend the house first, worry about looting the opposition’s second.

Defence is the hardest position in hockey to learn and the light goes on at different times for different players.

“I’d been in the league for 11 years when Larry Robinson joined our staff in New Jersey and I learned more from him in his first month with us than I had in the previous decade of my career,” said former Devils defenceman turned analyst Ken Daneyko, when questioned about the learning curve of a blue-liner.

“It takes time. There are lots of tricks to learn and ultimately it’s about comfort and learning what your game should be. Once a player has that figured out, he can find his place.”

Bogosian, it seems, has done just that, found his place.

 

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @garylawless

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