ATLANTA – As a teen, Zach Bogosian dedicated his summers to taking long road trips across the Canadian border from his hometown Massena, NY to Ottawa to attend vigorous workouts with premiere NHL players like Daniel Alfredsson and Daniel Briere.

Ottawa is a three-and-a-half hour round trip from Massena. Bogosian made that trek routinely over three summers, sometimes hitting the road before dawn to make a scheduled skate. The training in Ottawa was much more intense and Massena offered little to no hockey that time of year.

Possessing these strong work ethics and born competitive to the core, it was no surprise when the seventeen-year-old American was selected No. 3 overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2008 NHL draft.

Bogosian comes from a family of hard hitters with football chromosomes in their blood. His father, Ike, was a safety and captain of the Syracuse University football team and his Uncle Steve played defensive tackle at Army.

The 6′ 2″, 200 pound hard-hitting blue liner is a fierce competitor, capable of playing with a mean streak. Watching him compete and battle on the ice, it’s no surprise his favorite movie is “Gladiator”.

When asked what player he wants to model his style after he responded, “Chris Chelios was always my favorite player. He’s a warrior and a leader. He’ll do anything it takes to win.”

Bogosian has reached his first goal of making the Thrashers NHL line up. His first game will be on opening night, October 10th in Atlanta when the Thrashers take on the Washington Capitals.

Bogosian’s offensive-minded style is a perfect fit for new Thrashers coach, John Anderson. Anderson wants his defensemen to be aggressive with the puck and loves the style of play his young rookie brings to the Thrashers. “If there’s a lane open, he can take it. It’s up to the forward to drop back and cover.”

Although most young draft picks take years to develop before making a roster in the NHL, Bogosian found himself in a unique position, being drafted by a team that is rebuilding and looking for young stars.

Bogosian’s journey from the small town of Massena to Atlanta, a city five million people strong, has been one full of challenges and commitments. Now that the young prospect snagged a spot on the Thrashers roster, he can concentrate on winning games and become a part of a team in search of new leaders.

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