TORONTO -- Zach Bogosian has known Evander Kane since Day 1 of the winger's NHL career. Both were drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers one year apart, they moved to Winnipeg via re-location and were traded together to Buffalo.
In short, no other current or former teammate is in a better position to assess the sometimes controversial Kane after eight seasons together.
And what Bogosian, 25, points to is that behind the bright lights persona and the tweets and the social media image, there's a player that cares about his craft.
"I think if you look at his work ethic, and if you got to know him, the other stuff that maybe comes out about him, you would probably have a little different outlook on him as a person and a player," Bogosian said Monday before the Buffalo Sabres beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime.