Thrashers sign first-round pick Bogosian

Zach Bogosian moved one big step closer to becoming a Thrashers player Thursday when he signed his first pro contract.

All that remains for the team’s first-round draft pick is to actually make the team.

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Jason Getz / jgetz@ajc.com

Thrashers first-round draft pick Zach Bogosian has signed a three-year, $2.625 million entry-level contract.

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“I’m really happy to be a Thrasher now,” Bogosian said after signing the three-year, $2.625 million entry-level contract. “It’s kind of a relief that you get it done, but you know you’ve still got to do the work to earn it.”

Bogosian, an 18-year-old defenseman, has been doing a whole lot of work since the Thrashers chose him with the third overall pick June 20. He came to Atlanta for the organization’s prospect camp, went to Lake Placid, N.Y., for the U.S. world junior championship team camp, worked out at home in Massena, N.Y., and in nearby Ottawa, and, since Monday, has been back in Atlanta training with Thrashers players.

For now, he’s staying at the home of Thrashers strength coach Ray Bear. On Sept. 11, he heads to Traverse City, Mich., for a prospect evaluation tournament. A few days after he returns from that, the Thrashers’ preseason camp begins Sept. 20.

“It’s been a pretty busy summer, but I know how to handle that,” Bogosian said. “I’m probably in the best shape of my life right now.”

Thrashers general manager Don Waddell has said all summer that while there are no guarantees when it comes to 18-year-olds being ready for the NHL, Bogosian has a chance to help the team immediately.

“He certainly hasn’t done anything to diminish that,” Waddell said Thursday, after not only signing Bogosian but watching him skate with Thrashers players. “There’s no sign of him looking out of place. … He’ll dictate how much he’s ready to take on. We’ve got some viable guys to play him with.”

Entry-level NHL contracts are strictly limited by the league’s collective bargaining agreement: Three years, $875,000 a year. The incentives provide a little negotiating room. Bogosian, for example, said he can earn more money by leading the team in blocked shots.