The Buffalo Sabres have decided that its time to shut Zach Bogosian down for the year, as the defenseman will undergo hip surgery to correct an issue that he’s been dealing with all season. The expected recovery timeline is four to six months, meaning Bogosian will not play again this season.
Bogosian, 27, hasn’t made quite the impact many were hoping for since he came over from the Winnipeg Jets as part of the Evander Kane–Tyler Myers deal in 2015. The big, bruising defenseman that broke into the NHL as an 18-year old after being selected third overall in 2008, has seen his role on the Sabres continually diminished as he struggles to contribute offensively. This season, playing in just 18 games, Bogosian recorded the lowest average ice time since his rookie year, and registered just a single point.
Injury isn’t a new experience for Bogosian, who hasn’t played more than 65 games in a season in now seven years, and only once cracked 80 games played. It has seemed like every time he starts to get in a groove he faces another setback, and this time it will be another long-term stint on the sideline.
With two more seasons under contract with the Sabres at $5.14MM, Buffalo will need Bogosian to find some modicum of health and reclaim his place as a minute-munching defender. For a team that has struggled defensively for years, a healthy 2018-19 is paramount to their success. As the team now decides which assets to sell off, you can bet Bogosian won’t be one of them.