Sports

Zach Attack Style. Reputation. Character. Those are just three words that describe of the . The NHL blue liner and former third overall pick plays the most taxing position on the ice as defenseman. He’s had the game’s all-time greats – Orr, Bourque, Chelios, Stevens – in his ear, by his side and as friends since he first picked up a stick. The 20-year-old stalwart is now ready to reap the rewards.

Text Manouk Akopyan

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One-Hundred Years of Bogosians Zach is an American-born Armenian fully and recently, inked the “Our Father” prayer engaged in his roots. He had the opportunity (Hayr Mer) in Armenian letters across his left of meeting the first generation of American chest. “I’m not sure if I’ll get anymore tattoos, Bogosians – great-grandfather Stephan, from but if I do, they will certainly be Armenian. It’s Sivas, Turkey, who lived to be 100, and great- really special to me,” he says. grandmother Zouvart, from Bahcecik/Kocaeli, “My grandfather Haig is a diehard Armenian Turkey, who lived to be 96. and is a spitting image of Stephan. Once he t’s the opening week of the NHL He’s playing his personal and bi-annual With the Bogosians having been a He vividly recalled their stories. finds out someone is Armenian, he gets all Iseason and playoff wishes and “home away from home” game. If he mainstay in Massena since Stephan Stephan came to America in 1910 to work and spruced up. I feel the same way too. It’s rare to dreams have officially blows a coverage, no one really cares. first moved there in 1910, Zach had no make money for a couple of years so that he be an Armenian and I definitely have a special begun. Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash Fans are there specifically for him, win plans of breaking the family tradition. could then go back home to his wife and child. place for them as well.” Nowadays, his father plays a reverberating rendition of the or lose, eyes glued as he skates within He recently built a house in Massena However, during the genocide, he lost them Ike owns the Bogosian Carpet Co. on the national anthem to a sellout crowd at the confines of the 200-foot rink. overlooking the St. Lawrence River, both – and the rest of his family – and was same block Stephen started his dry cleaning Staples Center, cutting the ribbon to But for the American-born Zach, which is a one-minute boat ride to the advised not to go back. business and his grandfather Haig runs a the 2010-2011 hockey season. It’s the wherever you put him, there is only one Canadian bridge. Peacefully nestled away Zach has shown his love for the culture through nursing home. “He thinks he’s the mayor of against the Atlanta true home – and that’s Massena, New from lively , it’s a home the a forever-lasting and more permanent medium Massena,” Zach jokes. As for his mother Vicky? Thrashers in the home opener. York, a place where three generations of avid hunter and fisherman wouldn’t have – tattoos. He has a rosary with an Armenian “My mom’s not Armenian, but then, she pretty

It’s a long-suffering franchise deprived Bogosians have been reared over the last any other way. Miller Greg cross along with an Armenian flag on his back, much is. Even her sisters have adapted.” of a Stanley Cup against one that century, all in the same house his great- “You go from a town like Massena where wasn’t even around when Wayne grandfather Stephan Bogosian first built everyone knows everyone and you spend Gretzky last played an NHL game. and lived in. six hours every day on a boat and other And in Kobe Bryant’s home, it’s “It’s crazy for me because, in Atlanta, fans outdoor activities, to overnight, living in Apples Don’t Fall Armenian Pride Night. come to see the team and in an away a 24th-floor condo in Atlanta. I wouldn’t Far From Trees The object of tonight’s affection game in Los Angeles, they’re specifically say I love city life, but I don’t hate The Bogosian family tree is filled with Tipping the scales at 6’3”, 215 pounds, and commemoration is Thrashers there to see me,” says Bogosian of his it; I’ve gotten used to it. I like a quiet standout, naturally gifted, big-bodied defenseman Zach Bogosian, known to honorary night. “Hockey is a special place, that’s for sure. That’s one thing athletes, and – coincidence or not – all 20-year-old Zach is genetically blessed. be the first and only player of Armenian part of my life, and when you add to the that is really different for me. There’s captains of their respective teams. “Every year, I feel a lot more confident in my heritage to ever play in the National fact that Armenians are always in full not too many of us Armenians anymore Zach’s father, Ike, lettered in football Hockey League. Bogosian finds himself support of me, it makes it even more in Massena, but we pretty much know as a starting strong safety at Syracuse game than I did the year before,” he says. in an odd predicament. special for me. I love it.” everyone who is still there.” University from 1979-81. As a senior, he was a co-. Ike’s brother Steve was an All-American football captain at “There is a time and place for fun, but Massena to Massachusetts’ Cushing West (Army) from 1970-72. Zach’s my father always drilled it into my head Academy to hone his craft. During his Zach Bogosian 24-year-old brother, Aaron, is currently to be a hard worker. A lot of guys think freshman and sophomore years in the comes from an a forward and captain at ’s St. it’s not very manly to figure skate, but it small town of Ashburnham, the 5-foot-4, athletic family – his father and uncle Lawrence University. Standing at 6’3”, 215 worked out for me,” he smiles. “A mistake 120-pound 14-year-old Zach grew into both played college pounds, Zach’s genetically blessed with a for a defenseman usually results in one his genes and got really big, both literally football. In 2008, the ’s body. Yet, growing up, there thing: the puck ending up in the back of and figuratively. It all came together Atlanta Thrashers drafted him with the was one thing the Bogosian kids could the net. There’s a lot of pressure, but hard during his last year at Cushing when third overall pick in not do: follow their father into the family work takes care of that.” he was mentored and tutored by Boston the NHL draft. football factory. “I always wanted to play The father and son duo went to Ottawa Bruins all-time great and Hall of Fame football, but my dad never let because of 67’s games of the Ontario Hockey defenseman . Bourque was the fear of serious injuries,” Zach says. League, where just a few years later, he on staff as a volunteer coach, where his Bogosian’s rise from playing town would leave the popcorn and soda in his son Ryan was Zach’s teammate. Bogosian B hockey at 14, to four years later, a seat, throw on his No. 4 sweater and says that the most important thing prodigy playing in the National Hockey make his way to the rink, playing for the Bourque taught him was to come into the League didn’t happen by accident. Even . zone late and to always remember that his though Zach played lacrosse just as well offense would be there for him – advice he as hockey, Ike drove him two hours to Teenage Savant and the plays by until today. Ottawa every weekend in the summer Legends of the Fall By 11th grade, Bogosian had realized he in order for his son to improve the game As he’s comfortably reclined in a leather was a blue-chipped prospect destined he loved most. In 2000, the 10-year- chair at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Zach for the NHL when he took his talents to old spent a week in Canada soaking laughs about how the last five years have the , a Canadian in hockey with Stanley Cup winning zipped by faster than a blazing slap . major-junior hockey league. In the OHL, he defenseman Scott Stevens and his family. After all, just a handful of years ago, he moved from one NHL legend to another He later learned how to skate through looked as intimidating as a librarian. when he scored himself the great Bobby figure skating, which led to speed. Both “In high school, I had an awkward body: Orr as his agent. Irony, coincidence, neither turned into his two strongest assets big hands, big feet, and a skinny body,” or both, the No. 4 jersey Bogosian has today in the game’s most taxing position. he says. worn since his youth was because of the Ike’s efforts in return made him the With the of playing Division-1 legendary Bruins defenseman, now the

Scott Cunningham Scott greatest influence on his son’s life. hockey, Bogosian moved away from president of The Orr Hockey Group.

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Zach had the chance of a lifetime when he played with mentor Chris Chelios (centered) in 2010.

“Bobby Orr is the nicest person I’ve ever Doughty told Yerevan magazine, “At a met,” says Zach’s father Ike. “With Zach, young age, he’s already one of the best he’s not only his agent, but they have a defensemen for Atlanta. Some say that special relationship as friends too. There are I’ve started slow, too. He doesn’t have those who never get to even meet players anything to worry about. People and fans like Stevens and Orr – let alone having the see a slow start with points and they privilege of playing with them. All those don’t realize that sometimes, the bounces guys have had a big impact and influence don’t go your way. With his talent, there’s on him. Whatever they’ve said, he’s listened no doubt in my mind that he’s going to be and done exactly as he’s been told.” on the next United States Olympic team.” During his two years with the Peterborough The blue-collared Bogosian echoed Petes, he quickly developed into a big and much of the same with his workman-like gifted defenseman and distinguished outlook and approach. himself as an offensive and defensive “I don’t care for personal statistics. If I

standout with a complete game. Most score 20 goals a season, good for me, Cunningham Scott nights, the highly touted 16 year old thrived but if I don’t, I won’t lose sleep on it. It at shutting down opposing prospects doesn’t matter if I put up 20 points a that were three and four years his senior season or 70, I still play want to play an and at NHL camps just a few weeks all-around game and good defense. As a “When I get mad, I have a switch in my head prior. He developed into a smooth skater defenseman, all I worry about is keeping with a blistering right-handed shot and a pucks out of the net and helping my team and I just snap a little bit. It’s good to have a high hockey IQ en route to being named win deep into the and a Stanley mean streak, to stand up and protect yourself. alternate captain, playing in 127 games, and Cup. And hopefully, I can be a guy my recording 94 points (18 goals, 76 assists). team can lean on to help lead the way.” I play with no fear, yet play clean.” “In sports, it’s like a pyramid,” says Ike. After Bogosian signed a three-year, $2.6 “When you start up, there are a lot of kids, million contract – set to expire after this and as you go up, everyone starts flying season – he made the Thrashers roster In addition to occasionally dropping Eight games into his career, a broken leg off. It’s a testament to Zach to where out of training camp and quickly become the hammer and lighting the lamp, sidelined him for two months. Last year, he has come with all the hard work and a leader on the Atlanta blue line. He had Bogosian’s library of fights and flying he dealt with a season-long wrist injury dedication.” veteran Mathieu Schneider, 21 years fisticuffs is steadily growing, too. He is that reduced him to being an “ice robot,” On June 20, 2008, Zach made the top of his senior, as his defensive partner and certainly not afraid to get physical. he says. But the physical specimen has

the pyramid – at 18 years old. Images Cox/Getty C. Kevin closest friend on the team. Last year the “I don’t really like to fight too much. I overcome it all, as he continues to play greats kept filing in and Bogosian became love doing it when it happens, but I never premium minutes against top lines. NHL Prime Time a kid in the candy store when his favorite go into a game with thoughts of fighting “I’m not one to make excuses, but it didn’t For Zach Bogosian, Armenian Pride player growing up, and the legend he someone. When you look for a fight, feel right when I had the puck. Looking Night could’ve been a ritual done 41 most modeled his game after – Chris that’s when you get your ass kicked.” back on last year, I should’ve taken a times a year, essentially saving the Chelios – laced his skates for one last Zach admits to beatings while growing few games off to really recover and get Kings from rolling out the red carpet for run with the Thrashers. At 49, the Greek- up from brother Aaron as the source healthy. But it wasn’t in my nature. I a visiting player. The first occurrence American Chelios retired last year after to his mean streak now. “They used to wanted to do the team well. It was hard, was during Bogosian’s rookie season, 26 seasons as a defenseman, in between, battle pretty good and as a father, I knew but also a learning process. Every year, when he racked up three assists in a 7-6 accomplishing a litany of feats that place when to let them go and when to step I feel a lot more confident in my game barn-burning shootout victory. him among the NHL’s all-time greats. in to make sure they wouldn’t beat each than I did the year before.” In the 2008 draft, slotted with the “When I was with Atlanta, I was with other to death,” says Ike. Adds Chelios: “Playing with Zach last second overall pick, the Kings had the him every day, and even got to meet Ike,” “I’ve always been goofy off the ice.” adds year, he’s got the mentality that he’s opportunity to draft Bogosian as the Chelios told Yerevan magazine. “Zach Zach. “On it though, it’s very different. faster than the puck and thinks he can franchise defenseman they were looking bent over backwards for me by picking I see it as ‘if I’m not going to hit them, cover two or three guys by himself in for. In the class, there were two viable, me up, taking me for dinner and made they’re going to hit me. So I might as the zone, and that’s just because he’s highly rated juniors: Bogosian and the me feel very welcomed. And I knew why well just hit them.’ In locker rooms, I young. I see him as a fearless kid with Canadian-groomed . When I was there – to help try to settle him want to be known as a great defenseman a lot of skill, size and potential. He’s commissioner Gary Bettman stepped to down. Had he played in the era I played who finishes checks and plays hard. But obviously got all the tools to be a great the podium, the Kings called Doughty’s in and been the go to guy as I was, he’d in no way do I run around like an idiot defenseman. With coaching and a little name, and the rest is now history. put up really big numbers, too. Times are trying to hurt someone.” bit of structure, he’ll simplify his game Looking at the back of their hockey different though and the games changed Zach has dealt with his fair share of and be a much more effective player. It’s cards, the differential in statistics doesn’t a lot. It was a really nice experience to physical pain as well, including already just a matter of time.” illustrate their respective values to each work with a kid with a great attitude who missing a couple weeks earlier this At the sage age of 20, time is most

Scott Cunningham Scott of their teams. loved to play hockey.” season due to a shoulder injury. definitely on his side to fix the kinks.

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