TSN: Leafs' Bozak talks new additions, contract, criticism

[egd27]

...if you like mediocre tweeners riding your best player's coat tails.

1c was 'supposed' to be something we were looking to upgrade on. . We didn't, were just paying the same guy more. It's a disappointing non-improvement

I was looking to upgrade to a new BMW in my price range, but I couldn't find one so I'm gonna keep driving the car that gets me around a little while longer.

Not getting everything you want right away seems like a tough pill to swallow for many.

 

[leafstilldeath*]

I was looking to upgrade to a new BMW in my price range, but I couldn't find one so I'm gonna keep driving the car that gets me around a little while longer.

Not getting everything you want right away seems like a tough pill to swallow for many.

hmm so the car that gets you around, did it cost you approx 100%+ increase in cost to drive it for a little while longer while it is depreciated and you know have reached its potential?

If there is an option to drive a slightly better car with the same amount of money, one would naturally get a slightly better car. No haste or bitter pills but simple logic

 

[hockeyfanz*]

The actual stat would be 6 times out of 10 the Leafs lose a PP faceoff when Bozak is off the ice, and 5 times out of 10 when he is on the ice.

Who knew that an extra faceoff win could make you 4.2M bucks a season.
Bozak is crap. Nonis has been doing a decent job clearing out Burke's trash....but he forgot to leave this dud on the curb...

 

[sommervr]

I was looking to upgrade to a new BMW in my price range, but I couldn't find one so I'm gonna keep driving the car that gets me around a little while longer.

Not getting everything you want right away seems like a tough pill to swallow for many.

In this case we had a nice sport sedan that the coach was trying to use as a pickup truck. We get rid of the sedan because it wasn't a good truck and keep the POS Dodge Neon as a daily driver.

 

[Lightsol]

In this case we had a nice sport sedan that the coach was trying to use as a pickup truck. We get rid of the sedan because it wasn't a good truck and keep the POS Dodge Neon as a daily driver.

You mean that nice sports sedan with two gear settings; uncontrollably fast and into the wall? And swerves during passing maneuvers right into oncoming drivers?

 

[Lightsol]

Who knew that an extra faceoff win could make you 4.2M bucks a season.
Bozak is crap. Nonis has been doing a decent job clearing out Burke's trash....but he forgot to leave this dud on the curb...

Considering you consistently take shots at Burke, the Leafs and everyone on it in general, is there actually a player on the Leafs (present or last 10 years) you actually DO like? Because from where I'm sitting, you sound an awful lot like Disgruntled Observer; players suck simply because Burke acquired them, hockey skills be damned.

 

[egd27]

hmm so the car that gets you around, did it cost you approx 100%+ increase in cost to drive it for a little while longer while it is depreciated and you know have reached its potential?

If there is an option to drive a slightly better car with the same amount of money, one would naturally get a slightly better car. No haste or bitter pills but simple logic

I suppose for the extra money I put in the existing car, I could have something slightly better. But the money I invested allows me to retain it's value when I do decide to trade it in.

I could also try to do a slight upgrade and get stuck with a lemon that has its own problems.

I know someone else that tried a slight upgrade by getting a Connolly sedan a couple of years ago. It ended up getting written off.

In this case we had a nice sport sedan that the coach was trying to use as a pickup truck. We get rid of the sedan because it wasn't a good truck and keep the POS Dodge Neon as a daily driver.

More like a small sports car than a sedan that didn't perform in bad weather, had no room for passengers, cost too much to operate and had little trade in value.

 

[Bad News Bears]

People need to stop with the "not a first line centre" stuff. If the line is scoring, then it's an effective line. It doesn't matter who is on it. The first line is for scoring, and Phil and Lupul pick up the slack.

I'd rather have a balanced scoring lineup than an elite top line with no depth. You can't win in the playoffs with one line.

 

[ponder]

Bozie is rock solid, glad to have him back! Does he have 1st line offensive talent? Definitely not, but his offence is decent for a 2nd line centre, or great for a 3rd line centre. The best part of his game, though, is how well rounded he is. Great on draws, solid 2 way play, makes very few mistakes, works hard, has even become reasonably physical. He's a very natural centre too, does all of the centre jobs well.

I was worried we were going to give him $5-5.5 mil per year for 6+ years, which would have been a big mistake, but $4.2 mil per year for 5 years, that's a fair contract that I'm definitely happy with.

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

hmm so the car that gets you around, did it cost you approx 100%+ increase in cost to drive it for a little while longer while it is depreciated and you know have reached its potential?

If there is an option to drive a slightly better car with the same amount of money, one would naturally get a slightly better car. No haste or bitter pills but simple logic

Okay, let's just go buy a #1C down at the #1C store.

 

[Diatomic]

Okay, let's just go buy a #1C down at the #1C store.

Thats a possibility next year, some veteran #1C's going to potential Free agency, we can't shop now cuz of Bozak :/

 

[nuck]

I was looking to upgrade to a new BMW in my price range, but I couldn't find one so I'm gonna keep driving the car that gets me around a little while longer.

Not getting everything you want right away seems like a tough pill to swallow for many.

Great analogy. In about two years the cap will be over $70 million and Bozak's $4.2 will be a drop in the bucket. People are talking about it like the Komi contract
There was no other deal out there, and people have to realize Grabo was at best another stop gap option and not a #1 either and they would have had to keep $5.5 for him. Plus the failure to exercise the Grabo option tells me that Randy didn't like him that much and that is a death sentence. I wonder too if the club didn't feel Grabo's agent bent them over a bit on his last contract (I am sure Burke/Nonis didn't lead with $5.5) and this was the other shoe dropping.

The only legitimate #1 on the market this year was Vinnie, and he chose to take less than market value to play for Philly. Lets save some of the crying for when we miss out on a real option.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

In this case we had a nice sport sedan that the coach was trying to use as a pickup truck. We get rid of the sedan because it wasn't a good truck and keep the POS Dodge Neon as a daily driver.

We may not have the sedan anymore but we added an F-150 and a military humvee. Works for me.
Love these car analogies

 

[nuck]

Thats a possibility next year, some veteran #1C's going to potential Free agency, we can't shop now cuz of Bozak :/

Can't shop now because of $7 million on Liles and Bolland. If a real #1 guy comes around, they don't need to keep these two.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

The only thing wrong with Bozak is he isn't a big enough name for NHL13 type fans.

Or good enough to those who watch 95% of the games.

Anyway, congratulations on his new contract. I hope the Leaf aren't content with keeping him around in a top-6 role for the long-term just because he signed for 5 years and that it was more a market value thing.

Bozie is rock solid, glad to have him back! Does he have 1st line offensive talent? Definitely not, but his offence is decent for a 2nd line centre, or great for a 3rd line centre. The best part of his game, though, is how well rounded he is. Great on draws, solid 2 way play, makes very few mistakes, works hard, has even become reasonably physical. He's a very natural centre too, does all of the centre jobs well.

I was worried we were going to give him $5-5.5 mil per year for 6+ years, which would have been a big mistake, but $4.2 mil per year for 5 years, that's a fair contract that I'm definitely happy with.

I usually agree with everything you always say, Ponder, but you don't really know what sort of offensive output he'd have on the 2nd line, or what sort of defence he could provide on the 3rd line, shut-down role. He's never really had to play without offensive dynamos on his line and has never really been asked to play difficult minutes against tough opponents night-in, night-out. I'm from the school of thought that believes his offense would dry up on the 2nd line (unless he has elite offensive linemates) to ~30pts/82gms and that his (true) defensive acumen would be exposed. Didn't Carlyle only use him after a whistle on the PK? Bozak would take the faceoff and take off for the bench the first chance he got so that a better defensive center could play.

 

[Diatomic]

Can't shop now because of $7 million on Liles and Bolland. If a real #1 guy comes around, they don't need to keep these two.

Don't want a 4.2mil 3rd line C, rather keep Bolland Ship Liles and Bozak

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

Don't want a 4.2mil 3rd line C, rather keep Bolland Ship Liles and Bozak

I'd agree with this, but we'll have to see how it goes with Bolland this season. He's had some injury problems lately, so if they rear their ugly head again, we might be better off moving forward with Bozak as our (albeit overpriced) #3C.

Bolland >>>>>>>> Bozak as a player tho

 

[Daisy Jane]

Thats a possibility next year, some veteran #1C's going to potential Free agency, we can't shop now cuz of Bozak :/

better a bird in your hand, than two in the bush.

the key word there is potential. most teams lock up their key players, unless they A: want to leave, or B: want to see how much money they can get.

 

[nuck]

Don't want a 4.2mil 3rd line C, rather keep Bolland Ship Liles and Bozak

True but the fact is it's still doable with Boz on the club at $4.2, and if Bolland doesn't have a solid year he won't be resigned anyways, so a new #1 C is possble next summer if the right guy is available. We have to get out of the mindset that Bozak here means they will never seek or be able to upgrade at the #1 position. With the usual inflation TB is tradeable in 2years without retaining salary, or at most a few hundred k, so even if Bolland is resigned they can pursue a top center without waiting the 5 years out. Bozak's age and contract make him easier to deal than say, Weiss or Ribs in a couple of years.

 

[Lightsol]

the key word there is potential. most teams lock up their key players, unless they A: want to leave, or B: want to see how much money they can get.

Don't you guys remember that the plan this year was supposed to be taking a run at Getzlaf and Perry?

 

[LeafsNation75]

I'm pretty sure Nonis, intended to sign Bozak, everyone was wondering why Weiss wasn't contacted and it appears Bozak was the player he wanted from the start.

Plus I'm sure that the chemistry he has with Kessel was also a factor for Nonis. Also unlike with Weiss the Leafs already know what Bozak's pluses and negatives are, so they know what to expect from him.

 

[Ten]

It's a Saturday night and I'm going out so I don't have the time I'd like to research as much as I'd like, but I'm of the opinion that keeping Bozak over Grabovski or signing Weiss was the correct move going forward. I'm sure it's been discussed but I was curious to see anyway...

Tyler Bozak
6'01" 195
Age 23: 2009/10 - 37 GP - 8 G - 19 A - 27 P
Age 24: 2010/11 - 82 GP - 15 G - 17 A - 32 P
Age 25: 2011/12 - 73 GP - 18 G - 29 A - 47 P
Age 26: 2012/13 - 46 GP - 12 G - 16 A - 28 P

Stephen Weiss
5'11" 193
Age 23: 2006/07 - 74 GP - 20 G - 28 A - 48 P
Age 24: 2007/08 - 74 GP - 13 G - 29 A - 42 P
Age 25: 2008/09 - 78 GP - 14 G - 47 A - 61 P
Age 26: 2009/10 - 80 GP - 28 G - 32 A - 60 P

Mikhail Grabovski
5'11" 183
Age 23: 2007/08 - 24 GP - 3 G - 6 A - 9 P
Age 24: 2008/09 - 78 GP - 20 G - 28 A - 48 P
Age 25: 2009/10 - 59 GP - 10 G - 25 A - 35 P
Age 26: 2010/11 - 81 GP - 29 G - 29 A - 58 P

In a world where point production is the sole factor in determining a player's worth, Bozak certainly is the worst player of the bunch, with his goal scoring ability not proven to be as prolific as a Weiss or a Grabovski.

But we don't live in that world. Nonis made the decision to keep a younger player who gives you 10 less points in a season, but wins more draws and can be trusted to play in more situations. Same guy who was an important player on our team last year putting up career numbers (projected), as opposed to a player in Weiss who's coming off surgery or a player in Grabovski who had his worst season in a Leaf uniform. Same guy who actually has some established chemistry with important players on our team, Same guy who (just playing the averages here) is more likely to be an effective player at the end of his contract.

Oh, and he signed for cheaper?

I'm not claiming Tyler Bozak is a 1st line centre, or that we couldn't use an upgrade at centre over him. But neither Stephen Weiss or Mikhail Grabovski are your answer there either. So tell me, which player walks in to fill that role? How exactly do we acquire them?

I think anyone who's upset at the decision to keep Bozak around as if it weren't in the best interest of the team is out to lunch.

 

[agropop]

I was looking to upgrade to a new BMW in my price range, but I couldn't find one so I'm gonna keep driving the car that gets me around a little while longer.

Not getting everything you want right away seems like a tough pill to swallow for many.

There's an important flaw to your clever little analogy. That car that gets you around is now costing you almost 3 times what it did last year.

 

[egd27]

There's an important flaw to your clever little analogy. That car that gets you around is now costing you almost 3 times what it did last year.

But it's still cheaper than a slight upgrade, more versatile than the little sports car, and will fetch a decent return at trade in time.

 

[Diatomic]

But it's still cheaper than a slight upgrade, more versatile than the little sports car, and will fetch a decent return at trade in time.

What if theres a used 2009 luxury Lexus at say, $490 (Weiss) and your driving a 2012 Honda Civic that costs $420 (Bozak), which would you choose?

The Lexus has more mileage, but its a luxury car, proven to turn heads, something special, desirable, proven.

While the Honda Civic, new model and all, is meh, turns around no heads, common and typical.