Concern With Bozak's Lack of Offense?

[Christ]

I have said this many times here, Bozak is a good player but he has been miscast with the Leafs. Much like Stajan, the man he replaced, he is a solid third line center playing on the first line. I do like him on the team as he is solid defensively, has excellent faceoff skills and is pretty good from a defensive standpoint but he does not bring the offense to be a first line player.

 

[Ash35]

It's funny how these threads change based on how Bosak did the previous game. After the Montreal game, him not playing was everyone's reason why we lost. After last game get rid of the bum. Saying that I would overpay him at 4 mil only if we can't replace him. No more then that.

 

[nuck]

I would like for them to pay him a number (whatever that might be), that doesn't make him untradeable if they are able to develop or acquire a more dynamic offensive player for the top line. Its not coming out of my pocket so my only issue with big money and term is if they need it down the road (see Grabo) because they soon won't have a buyout option so are likely to be married to any fat contracts after next year.

Their best hope may be after he tests the market. They may have shopped both him and Mac a bit and know there is no club out there desperate for what he brings and if clubs are pitching TB $4 million or less he isn't likely to walk away from a similar offer from the Leafs. I got the impression they paid "full retail" on the Grabovski deal and that may have been a Nonis negotiation but not sure what that means for Boz. Lower cap, different CBA, and Kadri has proven in spite of being a horrible faceoff man, he is an NHL center, plus the millstone that is the Grabo deal all combine to make this an uphill battle for Bozak and his agent.

I believe they may have already tried to extend him and are going into the summer because they were too far apart. Interesting times coming soon.

 

[dimi78]

Hockey IQ is a loaded term, that just about every professional scout or coach sees differently. You'd be hard pressed to find a consensus on it.

It's anticipation, calculated projection at high speed, being around the puck at key times, and when they say "the puck just seems to follow him", that's part of it too. It's knowing proper angles, and it's a ton of things.

Many of these things, Bozak is not, nor does he possess them. He's not necessarily a low IQ player, but he doesn't have great hockey sense at all.

I honestly believe Bozak is a much better player than what we see in him and his issue IMO is playing with the caliber of player in Kessel has taken away from who he could be himself.

He's capable of doing a lot of things but he's developed this mentality that he has to find Kessel all the time the moment he touches the puck which takes away from him being the best he could be cause he's limiting his vision on the ice.

Do you guys remember as a rookie centering Stalberg and Hanson? How he didn't have tunnel vision for 1 particular line mate and MADE THINGS HAPPEN buy using everybody on the ice? His play from that point is what landed him the opportunity to play with Kessel which formed a trio we all got excited about with Kulemin on the other wing. Since that point he's been getting more and more predictable often time neglecting the 3rd member on the line cause he's got this internal thing to get Kessel the puck cause he's an elite player.

This is why Kessel struggles vs Boston it's not all Chara... First there's a double shadow on Kessel and Bozak constantly feeds into it. A little more gumption and confidence in himself to play a 2 man game which is open any time Bozak chooses to play with JVR will go a long way in opening things up for Kessel.

I'm shocked the coaches don't see it but if I was coach I'd take Bozak and JVR to the side and say to them forget about Kessel. There's space out there for the 2 of you to do damage. USE KESSEL AS A DECOY as there focus is clearly on him he will suck 2 players to him (especially that big guy ) and make things happen yourselves.