The Minnesota Wild have agreed to a two-year contract extension with defenseman Zach Bogosian, which carries a cap hit of $1.25 million.
Zach Bogosian's contract extension with #mnwild: 2 years x $1.25 million.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 5, 2024
At the age of 33, Zach Bogosian, who had been in the final year of a three-year contract worth $850,000 signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2021 offseason, was due to become an unrestricted free agent in the 2024 offseason. However, he has now inked a new contract extension with the Minnesota Wild, carrying him through to the 2025-26 season with a cap hit of $1.25 million. According to reports, there are no additional bonuses or clauses attached to this new deal.
When Bogosian’s extension takes effect next season, his cap hit will be comparable to that of San Jose Sharks defensemen Nikolai Knyzhov and Matthew Benning, and it’s estimated to account for 1.5% of the salary cap for the following season.
Having had one of his most productive seasons in recent years, Bogosian has tallied 1 goal and 8 assists, totaling 9 points in 47 games split between the Lightning and the Wild, with all nine points scored during his tenure with the Wild. This marks his highest point total in a season since 2018-19, and his current pace suggests he could finish the season with 12 points.
Selected as the third overall pick by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2008 NHL Draft, Bogosian quickly made his way into the lineup the following season and spent three seasons with the Thrashers before their relocation to Winnipeg in 2011. He then played for the Winnipeg Jets for parts of four seasons before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres in 2015, along with Evander Kane.
After spending six seasons with the Sabres, Bogosian and the team mutually agreed to terminate his contract in 2020, allowing him to explore other opportunities. He subsequently signed with the Lightning and won the Stanley Cup with them in the same season. Following a brief stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021, he returned to the Lightning for the 2021-22 season, before being traded to the Wild earlier in the 2023-24 season for a seventh-round pick.
Currently, the Wild hold the sixth position in the Central Division with a record of 29-27-6, trailing the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators by eight points for the two wild card spots in the Western Conference. Looking to build momentum from their recent 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks, the Wild will face the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday at 9 p.m. EST.
