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Monday, August 25, 2008
Next for Bogosian, a contract
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thrashers general manager Don Waddell is a methodical man. There was no rush to sign Zach Bogosian, the NHL’s No. 3 overall pick. Waddell waited for the Tampa Bay Lightning to sign No. 1 pick Steven Stamkos and for the Los Angeles Kings to sign No. 2 pick Drew Doughty. Stamkos signed in July; Doughty two weeks ago. Waddell expects to have a contract with Bogosian by the time Bogosian reports to the prospect tournament at Traverse City, Mich., Sept. 13, but that’s not a solid deadline.
The base entry-level contract is standard; the incentives are where there’s some negotiating room. Stamkos can earn up to $11.175 million over three years if he can score at least 20 goals with at least 35 assists and 60 points plus achieve other targets. (Those numbers are courtesy of the St. Petersburg Times.)
Waddell met with the Bogosians during the USA Hockey junior evaluation camp at Lake Placid early this month. Waddell liked what he saw on the ice there, too.
“In that group, he’s a man,” Waddell said. “Physicality-wise he’s so much ahead of other 18-year-olds.” Waddell predicted Bogosian’s biggest challenge if he makes the Thrashers team this season will be how rapidly he can learn and adjust with so much new being thrown at him. “From a physical standpoint,” Waddell said, “he looks ready to play.”
If he is, in fact, ready to play, that’s good for the Thrashers and bad news for the U.S. team at the world junior championships Dec. 26-Jan. 5 at Ottawa. “There’s never been a player released from their NHL team” to play in that tournament, Waddell said.
Bogosian’s contract and potential bonus money should put the Thrashers over the NHL payroll minimum of $40.7 million, which they need to reach before the start of the season. “Once we get him signed we’ll be fine,” Waddell said.
On other topics:
I get the chance to meet some of the Thrashers at the IceForum on Friday. Among the guys back on the ice: Niclas Havelid, Ken Klee, Eric Boulton, Chris Thorburn and Kari Lehtonen.
“It’s always great to get out there and get a feel for the puck, skate a little bit,” Havelid said, but he told me it’s too early for the players to get a feel for how things will change under the new coaching staff. “Right now we’re on our own. We’re working out with our strength and conditioning coach. There’s no system.”
Havelid spent June and July in Sweden. Klee was in Colorado. Thorburn went back to Sault Ste. Marie for a while but spent most of his summer in Atlanta; his idea of the perfect summer is relaxing by the pool in the heat, but he has been on the track twice a week and in the weight room each day. Boulton told me no matter what a player does to stay in shape over the summer, there’s nothing quite like ice time.
“You can bike and run as much as you want, but you’ve got to get on the ice,” he said. “It’s just different. … The closer you get to camp, you rev it up more and more and more.”
