When Zach Bogosian’s contract was terminated by the Buffalo Sabres in February 2020, very few people could have foreseen that he would be crowned a Stanley Cup Champion later that same season. And, yet, here we are: Zach Bogosian is a Stanley Cup Champion.

Most of the hockey world was left asking “why?” when Julien BriseBois inked Bogosian to a one-year, $1.3M contract for the balance of the 2020 campaign. On paper, it didn’t seem like a move that made a lot of sense. Bogosian’s underlying numbers hadn’t been particularly good to that point in his career. He didn’t have any playoff experience. The back end wasn’t particularly desperate for additional bodies. So, again, why?

We may never know the firm answer to that question, but the benefit of hindsight suggests that it was a perfectly acceptable and beneficial move for this Lightning team. Bogosian did exactly what a depth defender on a contending team is supposed to do. He ate minutes, helped the team generate a positive expected goal share when he was on the ice, and offered the odd memorable moment:

Wait. What?!

Really was it Zach Bogosian? No Hedman, Shattenkirk or Sergachev? Seriously Zach Bogosian?! Possession exit, zone entry, dangles and high-danger assist? Great play, Zach! pic.twitter.com/sq0ZtwwYmt

— Andy & Rono 📊 (@HockeyStatsCZ) August 26, 2020

While it would be hard to describe Bogosian’s first playoff experience as an A+ performance – his numbers do put him near the bottom of the pack among Lightning skaters in most of the key categories – it’s also hard to ignore the fact that he came in and was much better than advertised. He had a role, and he did what was expected of someone in his position. Nobody needed Zach Bogosian to be Victor Hedman.

Ultimately, there’s a reason that most in the Lightning fan base were sad to see Bogosian sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs when the free agency period opened. That should tell you a little something about the impact that he had on the postseason run.

My Grade: B

Your Grade:



As always, thanks for reading.

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