Last piece of puzzle now in place
Jets, Bogosian ink two-year pact
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/09/2011 (5199 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The pieces are in place for the Winnipeg Jets, now just two days from opening their training camp.
The team reached an agreement with defenceman Zach Bogosian Wednesday afternoon. The sides settled on a two-year deal paying the 21-year-old from Massena, N.Y., US$2 million this season and $3 million next.
All of the team’s projected regulars are now under contract for the coming season.
The website nhlnumbers.com puts the Jets cap hit at nearly $51 million, more than $13 million under the cap of $64.3 million for the coming season.
True North chairman Mark Chipman had said earlier this summer that the relocated Atlanta Thrashers would be somewhere in the mid-cap range in the mid-$50 millions, so it would appear that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has brought the initial season in well under budget.
“We did discuss a lot of different term options, but this seemed to work well for both sides,” Cheveldayoff said Wednesday. “It gives Zach an opportunity to become a part of the culture of the Winnipeg Jets and for us to see where things go in the long term. I do generally believe that Zach is going to be a Jet for a long, long time.
“It’s really good to have him done because it’s building that team camaraderie and moving forward it’s just another piece of excitement for the fans in Winnipeg.”
Bogosian, whose three-year, entry-level deal expired on June 30, had come to Winnipeg last Sunday as a show of optimism on a new deal.
That attitude proved to be correct.
“I thought so,” Bogosian said after the deal was announced. “You can’t predict the future but I was confident it would get done and I was excited I was here (on Sunday).”
Bogosian admitted there were times he had his doubts.
“It’s been a long summer with the contract stuff and I’m real excited to get it done and now looking forward to getting going here,” he said. “Both sides understood that camp was coming up pretty quick here.
“It’s been a long summer for both sides. When I got here, they knew I was coming and I was excited to come and as far as that went, it was good to be back with the guys but every time you’re in negotiations, obviously, both sides have to weigh in on what’s right and wrong. I’m just glad it got done.
“You think about it in the summertime… you wonder if you’re actually going to get a contract. You start to put all these things in your head and I guess it’s easy in the summertime because you’ve got a lot of time on your hands. You think about a lot of things.
“But I tried to stay as far away from it as possible.”
Bogosian’s likely wish for a higher salary was obviously held back by his limited production of 10, 13 and 12 points in three seasons. His rookie year, he wasn’t a full-time member of the Thrashers, playing only 47 games.
Last season, the third-overall pick of 2008 had just five goals and 17 points.
“I didn’t exactly have the year that I anticipated or wanted,” he said. “But you learn from it, take it in stride and you learn from it.
“Being surrounded here in Winnipeg with all the excitement is just going to make it that much more fun with me to try to establish myself as a good defender. We have a lot of good guys on the blue-line and a lot of good players and great teammates. I’m looking forward to playing with all of them.”
Cheveldayoff said the protracted talks with Bogosian’s camp, including agent Bob Murray, proved something.
“That Zach wanted to be a part of the Jets and we were very adamant of wanting to make him a part,” the GM said. “Zach is one of the top up-and-coming young defencemen in the league.
“Coming out of his entry-level deal, a lot of players have their ups and downs. But we’re really looking for the young player to keep on emerging. We’re really excited about Zach being able to work with Charlie Huddy. We talked a lot about that during the negotiations.”
tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca
— with files from Ed Tait, Gary Lawless
