Confirmed with Link: Bozak to STL (3 years @ $5m)

[TheBluePenguin]

This signing will completely depend on how he plays with Vladdy, either Bozak or Thomas has to click or this week be a long season

Still crazy how this post on Sunday completely got invalidated in a just a few hours Still cannot believe this off season so far!

 

[Meatball]

What a luxury this signing is (or at least has the potential to be).

 

[ITM]

Really enjoyed this read, from all accounts it seems like Bozak is a great guy off the ice.

Great read.

You're getting a solid hockey player, St. Louis.

Best of luck.

 

[BlueDream]

Yeah Bozak seems like an awesome character guy.

Happy to have him in the fold, his playmaking will be a nice fit as well.

It's really nice to hear how excited Bozak, Perron and O'Reilly are to come here and hopefully win a Cup... Blues fans needed that after the way things were going, lol.

 

[wannabebluesplayer]

Awesome article/letter by Bozak. As much as I wasn't happy when Armstrong seemed done before the O'Reilly trade, I'm definitely happy having a guy like Bozak on this team.

 

[illinidave]

Let's get Bozak to sweet-talk Kessel to advocate a trade to the Lou!

 

[Stealth JD]

I want to win a Cup. So damn bad.
That’s why I signed in St. Louis. There’s your headline. Print it.

I'm down.

 

[Chief Steele]

The write up he did was amazing.. very nice, its also good to hear he reached out to Pauly and asked about the city.. He liked the answer and wants to be in the Lou that is always a bonus.. The next few years are going to be really fun..

 

[EastonBlues22]

I admit that I'm not overly familiar with Bozak's play. Can someone give me a quick scouting report?

Top 6 skill, but with the usual inconsistencies of a (typically) sub-50 point player. Pretty average toolbox for a 2nd line player...no one tool really sticks out as either a positive or a negative to me. Willing to go to the net and doesn't score from range much. Not particularly physical and can be pushed around. Not the greatest away from the puck, though a bit improved in that area under Babcock. I think he's a better fit for a system like Yeo's than one like Hitchcock's, and I think he'll look like a liability in that regard less often here than he would in Toronto.

Miscast for much of his career in Toronto, so it will be interesting to see how he fits in here with more moderate expectations, a more well-rounded supporting cast on his line, better structure, and better support behind him. Put him with a lunch-pail two-way guy and a guy who can create and you probably have a pretty functional line.

 

[Klank Loves You]

I think it was pointed out in a couple threads, but the Bozak article pretty much confirms it. Our main pitch to FA's is being a good place to raise a family.

 

[A Real Barn Burner]

Top 6 skill, but with the usual inconsistencies of a (typically) sub-50 point player. Pretty average toolbox for a 2nd line player...no one tool really sticks out as either a positive or a negative to me. Willing to go to the net and doesn't score from range much. Not particularly physical and can be pushed around. Not the greatest away from the puck, though a bit improved in that area under Babcock. I think he's a better fit for a system like Yeo's than one like Hitchcock's, and I think he'll look like a liability in that regard less often here than he would in Toronto.

Miscast for much of his career in Toronto, so it will be interesting to see how he fits in here with more moderate expectations, a more well-rounded supporting cast on his line, better structure, and better support behind him. Put him with a lunch-pail two-way guy and a guy who can create and you probably have a pretty functional line.

That sounds like Steen Tarasenko or Steen Thomas/Kyrou. I know its early but would love your take on best line setup.

I just hope O’Rielly and Bozak both get off to a good start. Last time this board was this excited was Lethra and Stastny. Lethra got off to a great start but it wasn’t until Fabri the next year that got Stastny going. By then Lethra was already running out of gas with Tank probably had a little bit to do with Backes leaving.

 

[Reality Czech]

I think it was pointed out in a couple threads, but the Bozak article pretty much confirms it. Our main pitch to FA's is being a good place to raise a family.

What else could it be? I thought about this comment in the Perron thread, but STL is a tough sell for most guys unless they have ties to the area. Perron probably has a home here, friends, and knows that he fits in well in the city. Each player has his own personal priorities, but Bozak seems to be a family guy who wants a chance to win. Gotta like everything said in that article.

Also, he mentioned Armstrong was the first call he got in the offseason so kudos to Army for making Bozak a priority while working on other deals at the same time.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Top 6 skill, but with the usual inconsistencies of a (typically) sub-50 point player. Pretty average toolbox for a 2nd line player...no one tool really sticks out as either a positive or a negative to me. Willing to go to the net and doesn't score from range much. Not particularly physical and can be pushed around. Not the greatest away from the puck, though a bit improved in that area under Babcock. I think he's a better fit for a system like Yeo's than one like Hitchcock's, and I think he'll look like a liability in that regard less often here than he would in Toronto.

Miscast for much of his career in Toronto, so it will be interesting to see how he fits in here with more moderate expectations, a more well-rounded supporting cast on his line, better structure, and better support behind him. Put him with a lunch-pail two-way guy and a guy who can create and you probably have a pretty functional line.

He's also pretty good at shootouts, he went 5 for 6 last season. He has a career average of 44% and is ranked 20th in the league from 2011-2018 out of all active and inactive players. It's an absolute mystery why he's so good at shootouts.

He's a good player who as others have said was miscast, put him in a scoring role and give him some wingers who can back check and you'll be happy.

 

[Ignatius Reilly]

I was one of Bozak's biggest supporters/defenders on the Leafs board.

He got a lot of crap for not being something he wasn't: A #1C.

He was put into that position, feeding Kessel and Lupul and then JVR for years. Those lines did pretty well, but... not as well as if they'd had a true #1C. Leafs did not have that player and TB stepped up and did the job very well.

He's a solid guy, great in the room we hear, is actually elite on the dot and on shootouts.

As long as you're not comparing him to an All-Star of HOF guy, you'll find he's not just good, he's very good.

Wish him all the best in his new role. Wish we coulda kept him....

Moon111's post is pretty good too (post 111, ironically!).

 

[Tonka]

Might as well add my 2 cents, but my only advice to Blues fans is, know what you are getting and don't over expect.

- You are getting a good offensive player that will get you 45-55 points per years. Maybe on a good year, 60 points.

- He is awesome at faceoffs

- He is okay at defence, not as bad as a lot of Leaf fans say he is, he is pretty reliable

- Offensive instincts are good, he is pretty good passer

- Great at shootouts

- Leadership. Check. Good character. Check. Community oriented. Check.

- If he is your 2nd line center, then your team has work to do, which thankfully he should not be for you guys

Did I want him to go? Hell yes. I wanted him gone for the past 2-3 years. Not because he sucked, but because he was used too much on the 1st and 2nd line, beyond frustration. Last year he was in the perfect role, the 3rd line.

Regarding contract, 3 years is good. I would have wanted 2 years instead, but 3 years is decent.

Just a slightly above-average 3rd liner/2nd line center, good-charactered pro.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Dang. What a class act.

Welcome aboard Tyler.

 

[Evocable Manager]

At first I was going insane at the fact we signed Tyler Ballsack. But the more I read up, look up and dig in, the more I like it. Add in the fact he's not going to be shoehorned into a top six role and all the better.

He's not outstanding but I wouldn't be shocked if he's the guy to center #91. You'd have to manage their minutes a bit but it's doable.

 

[Veneficus]

"I want to win a Cup. So damn bad.
That’s why I signed in St. Louis. There’s your headline. Print it."
I love this so much.

 

[Beaninfritz]

Leafs fan here, good on you guys for picking him up. He was a college free agent when the Leafs snagged him. He's not a #1c, but he's somewhere between a #2-#3 center. He was played in a role that he's not fit for for years, because Leafs teams in the past were freaking trash. People slagged him, and said "he's not going to produce without Kessel!", yet he has. He's been consistent. The reason why he's been good in the shootouts is because his shot is greater than his stickwork. He doesn't look for the flashy goal, he just finds the opportunity to get the shot past the goalie. Plus, as others have said, he's pretty damn good on faceoffs. He's not on the RoR or Bergeron level, but he's consistently over 50%. With RoR and Bozak, your team is looking pretty damn good right now. I'm kinda glad the Leafs won't have to play you too often until the playoffs hit.

 

[WeWentBlues]

Leafs fan here, good on you guys for picking him up. He was a college free agent when the Leafs snagged him. He's not a #1c, but he's somewhere between a #2-#3 center. He was played in a role that he's not fit for for years, because Leafs teams in the past were freaking trash. People slagged him, and said "he's not going to produce without Kessel!", yet he has. He's been consistent. The reason why he's been good in the shootouts is because his shot is greater than his stickwork. He doesn't look for the flashy goal, he just finds the opportunity to get the shot past the goalie. Plus, as others have said, he's pretty damn good on faceoffs. He's not on the RoR or Bergeron level, but he's consistently over 50%. With RoR and Bozak, your team is looking pretty damn good right now. I'm kinda glad the Leafs won't have to play you too often until the playoffs hit.

Heres to hoping that Bozak can find some chemistry with our enigmatic RW.

 

[yogintheaveragebears]

Now that the smokes clear I really like this signing. A little overpaid sure but I guranteed he left money and term on the table. And the term is perfect for us.

 

[Mike Liut]

I don’t have a problem with the signing, but I dont want him on the top 2 lines because I dont want to remove ROR or Schenn from center. I’m just not sure if Bozak can produce on the 3rd line without top end talent. Maybe a Steen-Bozak - Thomas line can work.

 

[mk80]

Based on the article/ Thank You to Toronto he wrote we know for sure we are getting a fantastic character guy.

I found this video interesting to see his offensive abilities.

 

[Meatball]

Great hands, good speed, good defensively and he's fast.

 

[Chief Steele]

agreed after watching the video it seems he has a speed element that some say he doesn't. looks to be very solid on the PK our short handed goals should increase..